Eni and SEA sign agreement to promote biofuel for commercial flights

Credit: Eni-SEA

Eni and SEA, the Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Milan Linate (LIN) airports operator, have signed an agreement to promote decarbonisation initiatives in the aviation sector and accelerate the ecological transition of the two airports.

The agreement stems from a collaboration that first began in December 2021 with the supply of biofuels (SAFs) for private flights. The collaboration has been extended to commercial flights too and includes the supply of pure HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel for ground transportation, as well as a joint development programme for smart mobility services. These products and services support the reduction of emissions from airport operations (scope 1 and scope 2) and the decarbonisation of airport-related air and ground transport (scope 3).

Eni is the second-largest producer of HVO biofuel in Europe. Its proprietary EcofiningTM technology allows it to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) from waste and plant-based raw materials. Eni’s new ‘net zero carbon by 2050’ strategy will enable it to provide a range of fully decarbonised products, combining environmental, and financial sustainability.

Umberto Carrara, Director of Green/Traditional Refining and Market at Eni commented: “With this initiative, Eni is building on the potential of sustainable biofuels for aviation, as they currently represent the only immediately available solution to decarbonise the sector. Eni started producing SAFs a few months ago with a mix containing 0.5 per cent of used cooking oil, but there are also plans to develop Eni Biojet soon. This will be made exclusively from waste materials such as UCO or animal fats and can be used in a blend with conventional jet fuel of up to 50 per cent. The goal is to produce around 200,000 tonnes per year by 2024 and to double production by 2030.”

“SEA is looking to the future knowing that the recovery of the airport industry is deeply tied to accelerating environmental sustainability,” added Armando Brunini, CEO of Sea. “Despite the current crisis, all operators in the sector are investing in technologies and projects that will speed up this transition. I’m convinced that our industry should lead the ecological transition and, in light of concrete and quantifiable results, it deserves a policy framework that supports and incentivises this shift. SEA is working on several fronts, and the agreement with Eni is particularly effective because it allows to implement projects with a visible positive impact.”

The agreement will help SEA achieve its ‘net zero’ target of zero net emissions (scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3) by 2030, 20 years ahead of most comparable international commitments. It will also support the airport operator in developing increasingly sustainable and innovative measures to retain Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa’s ‘ACA 4+ Transition’ status, the highest level of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme run by airport association ACI Europe.