Waste vegetable oils to produce biofuels: this is the Hera Group's sustainable recipe. Thanks to the partnership with Eni, the agreements with the giants of collective catering and the collection of domestic oils, in 2022 the Bolognese multiutility started the transformation of 1.540 tons of used cooking oils into about 1,7 million liters of biofuel. Once pre-treated according to strict standards, the oils are conveyed to Eni's Venice biorefinery in Porto Marghera, where they are transformed into hydrogenated biofuel. The project, called HOVE (Hera Waste Vegetable Oils), involved territorial collection points for urban oils and more than a thousand refreshment points throughout Italy of the Camst group, CIRFOOD, Elior, Chef Express and Roadhouse chains.
Biofuel, a building block of the energy transition
Waste vegetable oils if not disposed of correctly can be very dangerous for the environment. For this reason, the activity constitutes a fundamental element of the energy transition. In fact, biofuel significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional diesel production processes, without the need for modifications to the engine or distribution systems and therefore can accompany the progressive electrification of light transport, as well as being an immediate solution for segments that are not easily electrifiable such as, for example, heavy, maritime and air transport.
Part of the biofuel produced feeds the Group's vehicles
A part of the biofuel produced in Porto Marghera returns to Hera, which feeds a part of the fleet of vehicles destined for the collection of urban waste. A project worthcarbon dioxide absorbed by over 58.000 trees
Overall, the biofuel deriving from the action of the multi-utility has made it possible to avoid the emission of approximately 2022 tons of CO4.900 in 2: from an environmental point of view, the equivalent of the carbon dioxide absorbed in one year by over 58.000 trees.
Energy transition and decarbonisation: the contribution of the Hera Group
"The waste oil recovery and transformation project fits fully into the broader, more ambitious contribution that the Hera Group is making to the country's energy transition and decarbonisation - explained Franco Fogacci, Central Director of Environmental Services and Hera Fleets -. This is a commitment, well articulated in the Business Plan to 2026, which provides for investments of over 4,1 billion, also financed by the PNRR, on the development of the circular economy, the promotion of renewable sources, the protection of water resources and the resilience of networks" .
