Repsol Starts Renewable Gasoline Production at Tarragona Complex

Repsol SA has declared a “technological milestone” with the start of “industrial-scale” production of 100 percent renewable gasoline at its complex in Tarragona, Spain, making a case for combustion engines.

“This new product, made entirely from renewable sources, is fully compatible with gasoline vehicles without the need for any modifications”, the Spanish energy company said in a press release.

“Its use reduces net CO2 emissions by more than 70 percent compared to conventional gasoline.

“Nexa 95 Gasoline of 100 percent renewable origin – Repsol’s highest-quality 95-octane product – is already available at 20 service stations in Spain, in the Madrid and Catalonia regions”.

Repsol expects to deploy the product at 30 stations by yearend by expanding in other parts of the country including the cities of Bilbao, Tarragona, Valencia and Zaragoza.

The formulation was developed with Honeywell, according to Repsol.

In 2024 Repsol launched Nexa 100 Percent Renewable Diesel, which it says is designed for all diesel engines.

Repsol said the development of the products demonstrate that “decarbonizing transport with renewable liquid fuels is a viable solution for combustion engine vehicles, whether gasoline, diesel or hybrid”.

“These vehicles today represent 97 percent of the Spanish and European vehicle fleet, and 87 percent of sales in Spain so far this year”, it said.

“To meet the climate targets set by Spain and the European Union, it is essential to recognize the role of 100 percent renewable fuels and, consequently, to reconsider the EU regulation on CO2 emission standards, which proposes a ban on combustion engines by 2035. The uncertainty caused by this measure has led to considerable aging of Spain’s vehicle fleet, with an average age of 14.5 years and 8.5 million vehicles – nearly one-third of the total fleet – over 20 years old.

“To accelerate the development of renewable fuels, it is essential to establish long-term targets – similar to those already in place for the aviation and maritime sectors – and introduce a favorable tax framework. These measures would provide the certainty needed to drive investment in more efficient engine technologies within the automotive sector”.

It said it plans to build another plant to produce renewable road and maritime fuel at its Puertollano complex by 2026.

It said it has secured agreements to supply renewable fuels to heavy-duty road transport companies in Spain and Portugal including Scania, Grupo Sese, XPO, Serveto, Havi, Joanca, Carreras, Rhenus and Luis Simoes.

“The company also partners with Spanish passenger transport operators, such as Alsa and Avanza, and with maritime operators, such as Royal Caribbean”, Repsol said.

“To promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel, Repsol has signed major agreements with commercial airlines like Iberia, Ryanair, Vueling, and Air Europa”.

At its Cartagena complex, Repsol operates what it says is the first facility in the Iberian Peninsula exclusively producing renewable fuels – sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel – at an industrial scale. Repsol announced the start-up of the waste-to-fuel project, which has a capacity of 250,000 metric tons a year, on March 4, 2024.

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