On the occasion of World Biodiesel Day, MOL Group marks a new important milestone in its energy transition journey. At the INA Refinery in Rijeka, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was successfully produced for the first time – within a pilot project for processing biocomponents – and a significant volume of renewable HVO diesel fuel (hydrotreated vegetable oil). This is the second successful test production of SAF and HVO within MOL Group, after the previous pilot project at the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava. Both are evidence of the company’s technological readiness and strategic commitment to the development of alternative fuels, in support of achieving the EU’s climate goals and strengthening regional energy security.
The successful pilot project at the Rijeka Refinery was implemented in cooperation with Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), the licensor of the refinery’s hydrocracking unit, with the objective of testing the co-processing of 5% POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent – a by-product of palm oil production) together with fossil feedstock. During the test, 1,000 tons of biogenic feedstock were processed. The entire process was certified by the independent auditor Bureau Veritas d.o.o., in accordance with the ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) standard for sustainable biofuels.
The preparation of the pilot project took eight months, given the complexity of processing a new type of feedstock and its specific physical and chemical properties. During the test, over 400 samples were collected for detailed analyses, carried out in the INA Central Testing Laboratory (CIL), while the analysis of the biogenic content (C14 analysis) was carried out by accredited external laboratories – the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb and Isotoptech Zrt. in Debrecen.
Earlier this year, the MOL Group refinery in Bratislava also successfully carried out production tests of a type of diesel fuel containing HVO and SAF. HVO was produced using cashew nut shell oil, and the biocomponent thus obtained was processed together with crude oil. In the case of SAF, partially refined cooking oil was processed together with the traditional raw material. The test demonstrated that the Bratislava refinery’s production unit, intended for the production of standard aviation kerosene, is also suitable for the production of sustainable aviation fuel.
MOL Group has been using the co-processing method at the Danube Refinery in Százhalombatta for several years: the process reduces emissions from traditional fuels by mixing plant residues, with bio and fossil components being processed simultaneously, directly during production.
Renewable fuels play a key role in MOL Group’s long-term SHAPE TOMORROW strategy. The company is already a major player in the biofuel markets in Hungary and the region – hydrotreated vegetable oil produced from waste, i.e. renewable raw materials, is among the most environmentally friendly options – and is among the European pioneers in the production of biofuels for aviation.
“MOL Group already produces diesel and sustainable aviation fuel from renewable raw materials and is ready to expand its production. This preparation underlines our strategic commitment to sustainable mobility – be it road or air transport. For us, becoming a comprehensive mobility service provider means offering an increasingly diversified range of fuels, thus creating all the necessary conditions for a smart energy transition for our customers. We already have a leading role in this process in the region and we are determined to maintain this position through continuous investments and innovations,” said Csaba Zsótér, Senior Vice President Fuels at MOL Group.
