Eni and BF Group join forces to develop research projects and sustainable cultivation for the production of biofuels and choose Sardinia as a field of experimentation. The joint venture - which provides shortly for the acquisition by Eni of a minority stake in BF Bonifiche Ferraresi and its entry into BF with the subscription of a private capital increase - will experiment with seed of oil plants to be used as feedstock in Eni’s biorefineries. Tests and trials carried out on the island will also assess the replicability of production in Italy and in countries where Eni is already present, especially in Africa. Also planned is the training of staff for the agro-feedstock supply chain.
With 7,000 and 750 hectares, Bonifiche Ferraresi is the largest Italian farm for used agricultural area. Eni produces in the biorefineries of Gela and Porto Marghera advanced biofuels that help to contain CO2 emissions in the transport sector. Eni has developed a more articulated strategy towards complete carbon neutrality by 2050, and bio-refining is considered strategic: it is expected that the production capacity reaches 2 million tons by 2024 and 5/6 million tons by 2050.
Plant species will be identified according to the sustainability criteria defined in the European Directive on biofuels, promoting sustainable cultivation, protecting soil, not taking land away from the cultivation of food products but favouring the sustainable economic use of marginal land.