Biorefinery Project

The Biorefinery Project is part of the INA Downstream 2023 New Course strategic transformation programme and is in line with the company's development guidelines. The location in Sisak is an important part of INA's business, and the support of the EU and the Government of the Republic of Croatia are key prerequisites for the final realization of this project.

The new plant would allow production of advanced biofuels from biomass, alongside the production of green energy for the plant’s own needs. It is an investment worth approximately EUR 300 mn, planned to be partially funded by European Union funds. Recently, the project met the formal criteria set by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and was officially included in the List of Strategic Projects of Republic of Croatia, and a head of Operational Group was assigned to the project to facilitate preparations for implementation. The Biorefinery project, with all its elements, fits into the Green Deal and the European energy strategy.

As the first step in the construction of the advanced bioethanol plant with a negative CO₂footprint at the Sisak site, in February 2020 INA signed a license agreement with the French group AXENS for Futurol^TM technology, as well as a Basic engineering design agreement. In addition, at the end of 2019, a contract was signed with the Belgian company De Smet Engineers & Contractors for the basic engineering design (BED) for auxiliary plants and the integration of the existing refinery infrastructure.

Regarding the development of the Biorefinery project, two harvests of the miscanthus energy plant, which INA planted at a demonstration field in Rugvica near Zagreb, have been performed in cooperation with BC institute.. The biomass collected from the first harvest was sent for testing as part of the EU PROJECT GRACE (GROWING ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL CROPS ON MARGINAL LANDS FOR BIOREFINERIES), and the results confirmed miscanthus to be a good raw material for production of advanced bioethanol. The second harvest of miscanthus on the demonstration farm in Rugvica, during which INA tested agricultural machinery of renowned EU manufacturers, was completed in March 2020.

In relation to this, there are plans to apply for the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development funds, primarily for activities relating to the establishment of miscanthus plantations, which includes the utilization of abandoned agricultural land. In addition, the energy contribution of the produced advanced bioethanol is double counted when it comes to meeting goals concerning the placement of biofuels on the market.

News

The Biorefinery Project is well on its way to being declared a strategic project of the Republic of Croatia

Zagreb, 24 August 2020

The Biorefinery met the formal criteria set by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, which officially included it in the List of Strategic Projects, and a Task Force lead was assigned to the project to facilitate preparations for implementation.

INA applied to have the Biorefinery project granted the status of a strategic investment project for the Republic of Croatia

Zagreb, 23 June 2020

Despite the challenging business environment, INA continues to pursue the strategic INA Downstream 2023 New Course project and the transformation of the Sisak site into an industrial centre.

INA completes testing of energy crop miscanthus

Zagreb, 2 September 2019.

As part of the INA Downstream 2023 New Course programme and the analysis of developmental possibilities for bio-component refining, the first harvest of the miscanthus energy crop was completed at the beginning of the year. The miscanthus (lat. Miscanthus x giganteus) was planted on a demonstration farm in Rugvica in cooperation with BC Institute near Zagreb, and this season’s harvest yielded around 30 tons of biomass.