Gianni Murano, Chairman of the Italian Union for Mobility Energy (UNEM), stated that although the European Commission’s position on biofuels is still unclear, the Italian government has repeatedly called for an accelerated revision of vehicle emission standards, hoping to eventually open the use of biofuels and reduce carbon emissions through various technologies. Global demand and production of biofuels continue to grow, and Finnish company Neste estimates that by 2030, Europe’s demand for renewable diesel will reach 11 million tons, double the 4 million tons in 2023.
According to UNEM data, global biofuel production has increased by 44% since 2015, with Europe being the dominant region. Germany, France, Spain, and Italy are the largest producers. Italy has shown strong potential in renewable fuel supply, particularly in the availability of raw materials such as agricultural waste and used cooking oil, attracting significant investments in sustainable production. Italian company Adamant Group is driving the development of factories designed for advanced biofuels and circular economy projects and plays a key role in marine and aviation fuel production.
In 2024, Italy’s biofuel production is approximately 1.2 million tons, remaining stable compared to 2023. Eni is the largest player in Italy’s biofuel sector, with its subsidiary Enilive producing 1.65 million tons of bio-refined oil annually. The Marghera refinery can produce 400,000 tons of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) annually, and the Gela refinery produces 736,000 tons of HVO, with plans to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2025. Additionally, the Italian company Hera has partnered with several catering giants to collect used cooking oil and convert it into biofuels. By 2028, it plans to increase its collection to 8,000 tons per year.
