Croatia oil company INA is currently in the process of transforming its business, primarily the refining segment, and upgrading the existing value chain. The bio refinery is one of the sustainable alternatives planned for the Sisak industrial site within the INA Downstream New Course 2023 program. It is a strategic project of the estimated worth of 300 million euros, which is being developed with the aim of ensuring the long-term sustainable operation of the company.
At the meeting of the Management Board of INA, the status of the bio refinery project in Sisak and plans for the next period were presented.
Refining & Marketing Operating Director Goran Plese said that the transformation of Refining & Marketing is an important step for sustainable refining operation, and by implementing the INA Downstream New Course 2023 program, the company will ensure a sustainable future for this business segment. Works on the largest transformation project – the construction of the Residue Upgrade Unit in the Rijeka Refinery – are underway, and INA is actively working on the development of sustainable alternatives at the Sisak site. This includes the construction of the bio refinery that would be producing second-generation biofuels. The company is currently working on further development and opportunities for additional co-funding of this project, which is a key prerequisite for making a final investment decision.
As part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), at the beginning of last month, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Coric singled out projects which the Government intends to invest in and support, one of which was the Sisak bio refinery project. The project also received governmental support last year, when it met the formal criteria of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, so the bio refinery was officially included in the list of strategic projects.
