Madrid-based energy and petrochemical firm Repsol has manufactured the first batch of aviation biofuel from waste in Spain at the PetroNor Industrial Complex in Bilbao.
PetroNor refinery, Bilbao. Photo: Repsol / Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Spain's first biojet fuel from waste was made at the PetroNor refinery in Bilbao, Basque, in the country's north. Photo: Repsol / Flickr. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
In total, 5,300 tonnes of biofuel were created, which the company says will avoid 300 tonnes of CO2 emissions - the equivalent of 40 flights from Madrid to Bilbao in the country's north.
Repsol has made two previous batches of biojet in Spain, in Puertollano and Tarragona, in 2020 and early 2021 respectively, using biomass as a raw material. The recent batch, however, used waste as a feedstock which Repsol says allows further integration of its circular economy tools.
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Using waste as a feedstock helps lower the company's overall carbon footprint and push towards its net-zero goal of 2050.
Biofuels are often touted as being the best option currently available for the aviation industry to decarbonise.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set the target of zero carbon emissions growth in the sector from 2020. To achieve this goal the IATA is developing various initiatives including the use of different sustainable fuels such as biofuels and advanced biofuels produced from waste, which can significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
The EU has also introduced several measures to promote biojet use in aviation. Both biojet obtained from biomass and advanced biofuel from waste are included in the list of sustainable fuels in the European Renewable Energy Directive.
Read more: Eni biomass treatment unit begins production in Gela, Italy
Bilbao, Spain
Bilbao, Basque country, Spain.
In July, the European Commission published, as part of the 'Fit for 55' package, the Refuel Aviation Initiative that aims to boost the supply and demand of sustainable aviation fuels in the bloc, reaching 2% use by 2025 and 63% by 2050.
In a press release, Repsol said that it aims to lead the energy transition. Last year, the company announced it was constructing Spain's first low-emission advanced fuels plant in the city of Cartagena. Once complete, it will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 tonnes of biofuels.
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