Croatian national refining company INA has produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for the first time in a pilot project at its Rijeka refinery.
The pilot project was part of the company’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and align with European renewable energy regulations, INA said on 16 July.
In addition to SAF, the company said a significant volume of renewable diesel (HVO) was also produced.
Conducted in May in cooperation with the unit’s licensor, Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), the pilot’s aim was to test the co-processing of 5% palm oil mill effluent (POME) with fossil feedstocks.
During the pilot, 1,000 tonnes of biogenic feedstock were processed and the process was certified by independent auditor Bureau Veritas, in line with the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standard for sustainable biofuels.
“Processing biogenic feedstock within existing infrastructure is one of the most efficient ways to decarbonise refinery operations and increase the share of renewables in the transport sector,” said Ivica Jerbić, director of Development at INA.
Due to the complexity of processing a new type of feedstock and its specific physical and chemical properties, preparation for the pilot project took eight months.
The project involved the procurement of specialised filters and the adaption of laboratory methods to increase the capacities of the hydrocracking and vacuum distillation units and ensure controlled handling of the biogenic feedstock within existing operating conditions, the company said.
More than 400 samples were collected during the test run and then sent for analysis at INA’s Central Testing Laboratory (CIL), while the biogenic content (C14) analysis was conducted by accredited external laboratories – the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb and Isotoptech Zrt in Debrecen.
“This pilot project has created the foundation for further activities and the introduction of continuous biogenic feedstock processing at the Rijeka Refinery in the near future,” said Goran Pleše, operating director of refining and marketing at INA.
INA said it planned to offer a continuous supply of SAF to the market by 2029 in line with the European Union (EU)’s target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing the share of renewable energy sources in transport.
By 2030, EU member states would be required to ensure an appropriate share of renewables in the transport sector, with a particular focus on advanced biofuels and SAF.
The main activities of INA and its subsidiaries (the INA Group) include: oil and gas exploration in Croatia and overseas; petroleum oil processing and the production of oil derivatives at refineries in Rijeka (Urinj) and Sisak, where fuel production is located, and Zagreb, where lubricants are produced; the sales of oil derivatives and other products through a network of more than 500 service stations in Croatia and neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Montenegro; and trading in crude oil and oil derivatives.
Although INA’s core markets are Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the company is also active in Slovenia, Serbia, Albania, Hungary and the Mediterranean.
