With the machines already running and at full capacity for two weeks, from the control center of Repsol's new renewable fuels plant, located in the industrial complex that the multi-energy company has in the Escombreras Valley, in Cartagena, a team of 36 technicians led by Emilio Mayoral, responsible for the facilities, control every corner of the more than 41,500 square meters that make up the factory. They ensure that the hydrogen production unit, the storage tank area and the hydrotreatment unit function perfectly. They are responsible for the two large reactors, each 19 and 35 meters high, the engines at the heart of the factory, facilitating the first renewable diesel and sustainable aircraft fuels of national origin, making their way from Cartagena to the rest of Spain.
The entry into operation is a milestone in the national industrial sector, since it is the first plant that manufactures this type of products in the country, and the second in Europe, after the one located in France. Its implementation entails opening the way to the rest of the companies in the sector in the manufacture of clean fuels and thus meeting the challenges that the European Union (EU) sets for itself in the coming years in environmental matters.
How to recycle used oil
Correctly recycling used oil is vital to prolong its useful life. Therefore, it is advisable to follow these steps to make the most of the potential of this waste:
Place used oil (also from canned products) in empty plastic bottles or other specific containers, when it is cold. Make sure there are no leaks or spills and, if any occur, clean the container with absorbent paper.
Transfer to the collection point
More and more locations offer specific containers for the collection of used oil; Otherwise, at clean points, some NGOs and waste management companies usually take care of it.
The importance of recycling
of used oil
In Spain, about 150 million liters of used cooking oil are generated per year; In the HORECA sector (hotels, restaurants and cafes) it recovers around 72%, but in homes the figure barely reaches 5%.
How to recycle used oil
Correctly recycling used oil is vital to prolong its useful life. Therefore, it is advisable to follow these steps to make the most of the potential of this waste:
Place used oil (also from canned products) in empty plastic bottles or other specific containers, when it is cold. Make sure there are no leaks or spills and, if any occur, clean the container with absorbent paper.
Transfer to the collection point
More and more locations offer specific containers for the collection of used oil; Otherwise, at clean points, some NGOs and waste management companies usually take care of it.
The importance of recycling
of used oil
In Spain, about 150 million liters of used cooking oil are generated per year; In the HORECA sector (hotels, restaurants and cafes) it recovers around 72%, but in homes the figure barely reaches 5%.
How to recycle used oil
Correctly recycling used oil is vital to prolong its useful life. Therefore, it is advisable to follow these steps to make the most of the potential of this waste:
Place used oil (also from canned products) in empty plastic bottles or other specific containers, when it is cold. Make sure there are no leaks or spills and, if any occur, clean the container with absorbent paper.
Transfer to the collection point
More and more locations offer specific containers for collection
of used oil; Otherwise, at clean points, some NGOs and waste management companies usually take care of it.
The importance of recycling used oil
In Spain, about 150 million liters of used cooking oil are generated per year; In the HORECA sector (hotels, restaurants and cafes) it recovers around 72%, but in homes the figure barely reaches 5%.
With used cooking oil, Repsol produces this fuel for cars, trucks, boats and airplanes. They can be used by internal combustion engines already on the market without the need to carry out technical modifications to the vehicles. In addition, they use the same existing storage, distribution and refueling infrastructures. It can already be found in 37 service stations in the Region of Murcia. There are nine distributed throughout different areas of the municipality of Cartagena, seven in Murcia, five in Lorca and two in Alhama de Murcia. There are also them in San Javier, Cieza, Puerto Lumbreras, Bullas, Librilla, San Pedro del Pinatar and Beniel, among other towns. Another 140 are spread across the main cities and transport corridors of the Iberian Peninsula.
Most of them are in Spain, although there are also in Portugal, because most of the production that already leaves Cartagena – 250,000 tons of this fuel will be produced each year – will be destined for the peninsular market, although “it will depend on demand », they clarify from the company. The goal is to reach 600 pumps by the end of this year in Spain and 1,900 in 2027, which “will help users choose the fuel that best suits their needs, because our service stations are prepared to offer customers any type of energy they need for their mobility,” explains Repsol's Customer General Director, Valero MarÃn. The price that drivers find at service stations is similar to what Repsol's 'premium' diesel now has, between 1.7 euros per liter and 1.9, depending on the supplier chosen.
Decarbonization
With the start-up, Cartagena and Repsol also mark a turning point on the path towards the decarbonization of transportation, which will be reinforced in two years. The new Cartagena plant, whose production of renewable fuels already represents 5% of its total diesel production and 17% of its kerosene production, will be joined in 2025 by a second factory with the same characteristics in Puertollano. For its part, Cepsa will also join this movement in 2026 with its plant that it is now building in Palos de la Frontera (Huelva), next to the La Rábida Energy Park. These two projects will represent a huge boost towards the consumption of clean energy to move around.
At the new Repsol Cartagena plant, 300,000 tons of used cooking oils will be processed annually. Repsol will thus give a second life to waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill, “transforming it into products with high added value,” says Emilio Mayoral, who is convinced that in this way “we are changing the world a little.” . So much so that with its use it will be possible to reduce net CO2 emissions by 90% compared to traditional fuels.
Oil collection
The company's intention is to install domestic used oil collection points at its service stations. In Spain, 150 million liters of this type of byproduct are generated. From the hospitality sector, 72% is recovered, but from households only 5%.
Although not as important as the production destined for cars and trucks, a good part of it will be destined for aviation. To promote this type of fuel, Repsol signed important agreements with airlines, such as Iberia, Ryanair, Vueling or Air Europa for commercial flights.
The raw material to produce bio fuels arrives at Escombreras from various parts of the world, but mainly from European countries and Spain. He does it on boats. Before, it makes a first stop at a plant in Huelva, which is responsible for refining and cleaning the product, and then transporting it on merchant ships to Cartagena. It is then stored in four large tanks that have been built in the port of Escombreras. The new loading arms are responsible for this, which are responsible for extracting raw materials from the ships.
Through pipes almost four and a half kilometers long, the oil reaches the Repsol complex and enters the manufacturing process. To obtain these biofuels, the raw material must be transformed through mechanical, thermochemical and biological processes. Its destination is the hydrotreatment unit, from where, after different chemical reactions, using hydrogen, renewable fuels are obtained from fatty acids. In this case, the catalysts are responsible for obtaining these fuels with physical and chemical properties equivalent to the conventional fuels they replace. From there it ends up in four other large storage tanks, located in the industrial complex, for subsequent distribution.
Large industrial equipment, such as its two reactors, was installed in these units. The first of them has a height of 19 meters and a weight of 64 tons. The second almost doubles the height of its twin, reaching 35 meters and weighing 180 tons. It is the largest piece of the plant and is visible from the entire complex. In addition, two columns arrived at the Repsol facilities from Tarragona, one 30 meters and the other 39 meters, the equivalent of a 15-story building, which were transported in one piece.
To place the four pieces of equipment in place, two special cranes were used. One of them is the only one that exists in Spain for this type of maneuvers. Its parts arrived at the industrial complex in 28 trucks and assembly took five days in total.
On average, about 560 vessels related to Repsol's activity pass through the Escombreras dock each year, moving nearly 23 million tons of raw materials and bulk products, liquids, solids and other merchandise annually. They account for 63% of the activity of the Port of Cartagena. The arrival of the new raw material will imply a considerable increase in port traffic, something that will have a positive impact on the coffers of the Port Authority of Cartagena.
250 million investment
The director of the Cartagena industrial complex, Antonio Mestre, highlights that with this plant “Repsol is revolutionizing transportation and the industrial sector. It is a project with which the industrial complex, Cartagena and the Region of Murcia reinforce their leadership in the European energy sector. From the 180 million euros that it was going to cost initially, it went to 200, but the increase in the price of materials had such an influence that the investment was finally 250.
From vegetable oils to synthetics
To obtain renewable fuels, biomass must be transformed, a matter of organic origin, whether plant or animal, through mechanical, thermochemical and biological processes. Thus, depending on the origin of the raw material from which biofuels come and the processes used to obtain them, they are classified into several generations. The first ones are those created from vegetable oils, such as bioethanol and biodiesel; second-class ones are those from used cooking oils; the third grade, those that are extracted from algae and aquatic plants with a natural oil content of at least 50%. These have not yet been marketed. And the fourth, those that seek to genetically modify microorganisms to improve efficiency in the capture and storage of CO2. These biofuels are not commercialized at the moment either, although there are pilot plants in Brazil and the United States.
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