Italy-headed oil and gas major Eni S.p.A. and compatriot airport hub operator Aeroporti di Roma SpA (ADR) have signed a strategic agreement to promote decarbonization initiatives in the aviation sector and accelerate the green transition of ADR operated airports.
Eni has been producing renewable diesel (hydrotreated vegetable oil – HVO) biofuel in its Venice and Gela biorefineries since 2014. Via its proprietary Ecofining technology developed with Honeywell UOP, it can also produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from waste and plant-based raw materials using the same technology.
Eni’s new “net-zero carbon by 2050” strategy will enable it to provide a range of fully decarbonized products, combining environmental and financial sustainability.
Key drivers in its path towards decarbonization include the recent merger of the renewable and retail businesses, the development of biorefineries and biomethane (aka renewable natural gas – RNG) production, and the sale of low-carbon energy carriers and mobility services at service stations.
Eni began its business transformation in 2014, taking an active and leading role in promoting the circular economy, the development of innovative technologies, and sustainable mobility, all based on a synergistic blend of solutions that minimize environmental impact and boost efficiencies. We are ready to make our technology and low-carbon products available to the sector to help it make a recovery based on sustainability and innovation, commented Giuseppe Ricci, Chief Operating Officer, Eni Energy Evolution.
A leading European airport operator
ADR is a leading Italian airport hub operator with Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA) airports and is recognized by the Airports Council International (ACI) as best in Europe for its airport service quality (ASQ) in its size class. It has been carbon neutral since 2013 and has committed to eliminating all its emissions by 2030.
The target has been endorsed by Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA 4+ accreditation), and reinforced with the recent issue of a EUR 500 million sustainability-linked bond that directly links the cost of debt to the sustainability results achieved – a world-first for an airport.
Introduce SAF and HVO
The agreement includes the development of decarbonization and digitalization projects to boost the transition of ADR-managed airports to smart hubs.
A notable feature of the agreement will see the introduction of SAF for aircraft and renewable diesel for ground handling vehicles over the coming months. This will lead to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to fossil fuels.
A joint programme for the development of sustainable mobility and distribution services to end customers will also be established, as well as energy integration projects in line with the “most advanced transition and digitalization models”.
When leading Italian companies work together they can create and implement ambitious projects of the scale needed to ensure a genuine environmental transition and secure the revival of a strategically important sector for Italy such as aviation. We are deeply committed to ensuring carriers have access to biofuels in the coming months, ahead of expectations. This is further confirmation of our desire to make Fiumicino and Ciampino two of the most sustainable airports in the world. Our strong focus on sustainability, which has been recognized at a global level, has always been a driver of our development and is now very firmly integrated into our business, remarked Marco Troncone, CEO of ADR.
