Puertollano Renewable Fuels Plant Enters Operation
Repsol began large-scale production at its new renewable fuels unit at the Puertollano Industrial Complex in central Spain in May 2026.
The company invested approximately €130 million in the project, which converted an existing refinery unit previously designed for fossil-based feedstocks into a facility capable of processing renewable raw materials.
The plant has annual production capacity of approximately 200,000 tonnes of renewable fuels and is initially producing renewable diesel for cars, trucks and maritime applications.
The start-up makes Puertollano Repsol’s second industrial facility on the Iberian Peninsula dedicated exclusively to producing 100 percent renewable fuels.
Existing Refinery Infrastructure Was Converted for Waste Feedstocks
A central feature of the project is the conversion of existing industrial infrastructure rather than construction of an entirely separate greenfield plant.
Repsol adapted a refinery unit so that it can process used cooking oil and other residues from the agri-food industry.
The project required new process equipment, including reactors designed for renewable fuel production, while existing utilities and logistics infrastructure at the Puertollano complex were also modified.
This approach allows the company to reuse established refining assets while shifting part of the site's output toward renewable liquid fuels.
The resulting renewable diesel can be used in existing diesel engines and distributed through conventional fuel infrastructure without modifications to vehicles.
Renewable Hydrogen Will Further Reduce the Fuel’s Carbon Footprint
Repsol is also integrating renewable hydrogen into the Puertollano renewable fuel production process.
The company has invested an additional €16 million in a system intended to replace part of the conventional hydrogen currently produced from natural gas.
The new hydrogen route will use biogas produced from waste as part of the industrial complex’s hydrogen supply.
Repsol estimates that the renewable diesel produced at Puertollano could reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by up to 98 percent compared with the mineral-based fuel it replaces when renewable hydrogen is integrated into production.
At full annual production, the company estimates the renewable fuels produced at the facility could avoid approximately 700,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year on a lifecycle basis.
The project illustrates how existing refinery sites can be progressively converted into renewable fuel production hubs while retaining much of their established industrial and distribution infrastructure.
Sources
Repsol — Repsol Begins Large-Scale Production of 100% Renewable Fuels in Puertollano, May 26, 2026