The Repsol Refinery in A Coruña Manufactures Biofuel with Used Cooking Oil

(Repsol (Google translation)) Repsol increases its renewable diesel production capacity from waste with the processing in the Coruñés complex of 500 tons of frying oil of national origin as raw material. The A Coruña refinery has a consolidated production of low carbon footprint fuels, to which is added this new biofuel typology, promoting the circular economy to reach the goal of zero net emissions by 2050. The use of hydrobiodiesel in vehicles means a reduction of up to 90% of CO ₂ emissions compared to those of a mineral diesel.

Repsol increases its renewable diesel production capacity from waste. The company has processed 500 tons of frying oil of national origin as raw material for the manufacture of hydrobiodiesel at its A Coruña refinery. This industrial center has successfully manufactured the first batch of this type of biofuel, which uses used cooking oil, mixed with vegetable oil and other components, being processed in a desulfurization unit to transform it into hydrobiodiesel.

This milestone joins the production already consolidated in the A Coruña industrial complex of other fuels with a low carbon footprint. In the biogasoline process, bioethanol is used and in the manufacture of hydrobiodiesel, vegetable oil (VO) is used as raw material. In other products, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) is also incorporated.

With this new production of hydrobiodiesel, a further step is taken in the decarbonisation of fuels for road transport using waste generated in Spain, since the manufacture and use of this biofuel in a vehicle represents a reduction of up to 90% of CO ₂ emissions compared to mineral diesel.

On July 14, the European Commission published as part of the Fit for package of 55 new specific targets for the use of renewable energy in transport, including a 13% reduction in the carbon intensity of fuels by 2030. Low emission fuels from waste are included in the list of sustainable fuels of the European Directive on Renewable Energies, which encourages their use to achieve global decarbonisation objectives.

In Spain, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan recognizes that biofuels are the most widely available renewable technology currently used in transportation. For its part, the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law, approved last May, contains an article dedicated to sustainable alternative fuels in transportation, with special emphasis on biofuels and others of non-biological origin, such as synthetic fuels or hydrogen.

Furthermore, in certain sectors such as heavy vehicles and aviation, which are currently non-electrifiable, biofuels will continue to be the fastest and most cost-efficient option for reducing emissions in transport over the coming years.

The Coruña refinery is in full industrial transformation to become a multi-energy hub capable of manufacturing low carbon footprint products such as biofuels produced from waste. This focus on the circular economy is included in Repsol's Strategic Plan 2021-2025 and is one of the company's lines of action to achieve its goal of zero net emissions by 2050.

In addition, this transformation process includes the production of renewable hydrogen from biogas, and modifications in units and implementation of new technologies to reduce CO ₂ emissions , which will also allow energy integration with the local environment.

Likewise, the new logistics facilities in Punta Langosteira will allow the management of new products and the traffic of raw materials, helping to create the renewable energy hub that will be the A Coruña Green Port.

Repsol presented new goals on October 5 that will accelerate its transformation to become a net zero emissions company by 2050. The company announced an increase in renewable generation and emission reduction targets, as well as an increase in investment in low carbon solutions to accelerate your transformation.

Thus, the company increases investment in the 2021-2025 period to 19,300 million euros, allocating an additional 1,000 million euros compared to what is envisaged in the Strategic Plan to increase its renewable electricity generation and its emission-free hydrogen production, and promote other low-carbon initiatives.

Repsol aims to lead the energy transition, in line with the Paris Agreement, and thus limit the increase in global temperature to below 2ºC. Technological advancement and the deployment of current and future projects allows the company to increase its ambition in carbon intensity reduction targets. The new decarbonization path to reach neutrality in 2050 establishes a reduction of the Carbon Intensity Indicator of 15% in 2025, 28% in 2030 and 55% in 2040, compared to the previous ones of 12%, 25% and 50 %, respectively. READ MORE