Biofuels. Eni and BF collaboration for a national agro-industrial supply chain.
An important collaboration agreement was recently signed between Eni and BF for a national agro-industrial supply chain. It aims at evaluate the development of crops suitable for energy production in Italy, recovering abandoned or polluted land, without competing with the food chain.
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This agreement between Eni with BF for a national agro-industrial supply chain, includes an initial study phase. This phase aimed at assess the sustainability and competitiveness of an agro-industrial supply chain. The latter is to be jointly developed and aims to rehabilitate the marginal areas in the country as a result of the development of sustainable agronomic practices.
A pilot phase will be launched in early 2023 with the goal of growing seeds, such as safflower and brassica. Consequently, vegetable oil will be extracted from these seeds to be delivered to Eni’s biorefineries for further processing into biofuels.
Agricultural production will meet the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) voluntary certification scheme. This certification is used to ensure the requirements for sustainability and traceability of products in accordance with relevant European legislation.
Some statements by the companies’ CEOs
“The alliance between Eni and BF is consolidated with the Italy Project, which demonstrates the indispensable role of agriculture in the diversification of energy sources. In addition to the joint venture’s research and development activities at our company in Sardinia, today we are launching a new initiative that involves the study and subsequent use of the first 2,000 national hectares of land used for oil crops. The project will make it possible to valorize abandoned areas of the country, recovering them and placing them in a virtuous circuit that will give Italian agricultural entrepreneurs new opportunities to differentiate their activities,” said Federico Vecchioni, CEO of BF Spa.
“Today we are strengthening our collaboration with BF on a project that has great potential for the country because it aims to regenerate marginal areas, such as those that are contaminated or degraded, and at the same time promotes rural development and integration with the energy industry that supports the decarbonization of transport,” said Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni.