All about new renewable fuels

A real alternative for mobility

Reading time: 6 min

What are renewable fuels?

Renewable fuels are liquid fuels that are manufactured from organic waste. They can be used in combustion vehicles, while also using the same supply network.

The adoption of renewable fuels can bring great advantages for those sectors where decarbonization is more complicated, such as heavy-duty road freight, aviation, or maritime transport.

As set out by the Paris Agreement, 2050 is the year when society aspires to become net zero. Even though it seems a long way off, the effects of climate change are urging us to take measures to accelerate the energy transition.

Renewable fuels are made from organic waste, such as used cooking oils, nut shells, waste from the agri-food industry, or tree trimmings. One of their main strengths is that they are fuels that minimize emissions, since the CO₂released during their use is equal to the CO₂ that has been previously removed from the atmosphere by the waste used in their manufacture, making them one of the most effective solutions for reducing emissions from transportation in the coming years.

They are an instant alternative because they can be used in combustion vehicles, using the same supply infrastructure, which means that we do not have to wait for new technologies to be developed or the vehicle fleet to be renewed before we can start reducing emissions. In fact, according to current legislation, the fuel we fill up with at service stations today already contains more than 10% renewable fuels. Similarly, its production and distribution can be carried out using existing industrial facilities, with local raw materials, which boosts the circular economy and allows us to diversify the country's energy matrix so that we continue to move towards energy independence.

In Spain, all the fuels you find in our Service Stations already include more than 10% renewable fuels, in compliance with the obligation of introducing a minimum percentage of biofuels in the total fuel sales in road transport, as established in RD 1085/2015 on the Promotion of Biofuels. As it is a global computation, it is not guaranteed that all products include said percentage. We are working to ensure that this percentage continues to grow.

Types of renewable fuel

These fuels offer different advantages, they can use the current infrastructure network, and can be used in combustion vehicles. We can distinguish between two main types: biofuels and synthetic fuels or e-fuels.

100% renewable nexa diesel fuel dispenser

Biofuels

Biofuels are produced using organic waste (such as used vegetable oils, tree trimmings, or nut shells), and currently, they are mainly used to substitue fossil fuels in different means of transport. Some prime examples are hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and biojet, although this alternative can be used in all light transport vehicles.

The use of biofuels makes it possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions thanks to the CO₂ released while in use being equal to the amount of CO₂ previously removed from the atmosphere by the raw material employed in their production.

They are already a reality and are available in more and more of our service stations in the iberian peninsula.

All about biofuel

a chemist holding a beaker with a green liquid

Synthetic fuels

Synthetic fuels, or e-fuels, are produced from basic raw materials: renewable hydrogen and CO₂ captured from the atmosphere. They are processed in three steps:

Through electrolysis (using renewable energy sources), the oxygen and hydrogen particles of water are separated.
The oxygen is returned to the atmosphere, and the hydrogen is used in the next step.
CO₂ is captured, either from the atmosphere or industrial processes. The captured CO₂ and the hydrogen previously obtained through the electrolysis phase (and called "renewable hydrogen") are used to create the fuel that can later be used in heavy long-distance vehicles.

These are not available on the market currently, but there are pilot projects for their manufacture.

Current renewable fuel projects

Repsol is currently developing several projects that drive our goal of producing two million tonnes of renewable fuels by 2030.

construction with a crane at the biofuels plant

First 100% renewable fuels plant in Spain

It is located in the Cartagena Industrial Complex (Murcia) and uses state-of-the-art technologies to manufacture renewable fuels from organic waste.

A ground-breaking project in the iberian peninsula that will enable the large-scale production of these fuels, with an estimated 250 million tonnes per year.

More information

Second renewable fuels plant in Puertollano

The second renewable fuels plant in Spain will be operational by 2025 at the Puertollano Industrial Complex (Ciudad Real). It will be dedicated exclusively to the production of renewable fuels from waste.

Today, the Industrial Complex produces conventional fuels, but in 2020 it manufactured the first batch of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). With this development, one of the areas will be transformed for the production of renewable fuels.

With the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, Repsol continues with its plan to advance towards decarbonization. In this plant, renewable fuels will be produced that will use different means of transport with the aim of reaching production of 240,000 tonnes annually. Our company has joined forces with different leading heavy-duty transport companies in Spain and Portugal, passenger transport companies, and end customers, as well as institutions and regional governments.

Collection of used cooking oil

Find out more about this action we are carrying out in the Community of Madrid, Castilla La Mancha, and Galicia

A person delivering used cooking oil to a Repsol worker

We collect used cooking oil to produce renewable fuels

Repsol has teamed up with the Community of Madrid, Castilla La Mancha, and the Xunta of Galicia to boost the transition to a new energy model.

We have set up used cooking oil collection points in 135 service stations in Madrid to facilitate the management of this domestic waste for our customers and its subsequent conversion into renewable fuel. In the network in Galicia, we have 176, while in Castilla La Mancha, we have 115 collection points.

If you are also a Waylet user, for every liter of used cooking oil you'll get a discount of €0.30 for future refueling.

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See press release

Renewable fuels in high performance competition