Topsoe to supply technology for one of Southern Europe’s largest renewable fuels plants

• Cepsa and Apical’s new plant will begin production in 2026 and is expected to produce 500,000 tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel annually.
• Topsoe will deliver its HydroFlex™ technology, which enables the production of SAF and renewable diesel from renewable feedstocks including agricultural waste, fats, oils and greases.
• The licensing agreement is between Topsoe and Cepsa and represents Topsoe’s first HydroFlex™ order in Spain.

Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, has signed an agreement with Cepsa, a leading international company committed to sustainable mobility. According to the agreement, Topsoe will provide its HydroFlex™ technology for the production of SAF and renewable diesel at the new plant of Cepsa’ Bioenergia San Roque (CBSR) , a joint venture between Cepsa and Bio-Oils Energy, part of Apical Group, in Palos de la Frontera, Spain.

Elena Scaltritti, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe, said:
“We are excited to have been selected as the technology provider for this important project. The demand for SAF and renewable diesel is there, but supply is still lagging behind. Renewable fuels will be absolutely critical to support the energy transition – in particular in sectors such as long-distance transportation that are difficult to electrify. Cepsa delivers a meaningful contribution to decarbonizing the transportation sector, and we’re proud to be working with them.”

The plant, which began construction in February 2024, is expected to flexibly produce 500,000 tons of SAF and renewable diesel annually. With this new plant CBSR will be doubling their total renewable fuels production capacity to 1 million tons per year and thereby creating one of the largest renewable fuel complexes in Southern Europe.

The production serves to address the rapidly growing demand for SAF. As cited by the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Scenario, over 10% of fuel consumption in aviation needs to be SAF by 2030 to stay on course for net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association estimated global SAF production to make up only around 0.1% to 0.15% of total jet fuel demand.

José Manuel Martínez, Director of Technology, Projects, and Services at Cepsa, said:
“This new 2G plant is central to our Positive Motion strategy and will set the European benchmark in the field of green molecules, directly supporting the rapid decarbonization of sectors that cannot run on electrons, like aviation. The new facility will emit 75% less CO2 than a traditional biofuel plant and is designed to achieve net zero emissions in the medium term. In Topsoe we have identified an outstanding partner, with proven technology and a track record of successfully delivering on its promises. We look forward to progressing construction to significantly increase production of this key renewable fuel.”

Lamberto Gaggiotti, Head of Green Energy at Apical Group, said:
“Our partnership with Cepsa and Topsoe is truly synergistic, as it heralds a new era for the aviation and transportation industries in their decarbonization journey. As a major global feedstock supplier, and the key feedstock supplier to this new 2G biofuels plant, Apical is thrilled to collaborate with Cepsa and Topsoe in creating a transformative solution that will see our collective vision of converting waste to value, and producing high-grade, renewable fuels become a reality."

About HydroFlex™
With HydroFlex™, customers can convert various fats, oils and greases into drop-in renewable jet and diesel that meet all globally accepted specifications for these fuels. Topsoe’s HydroFlex™ can be deployed in both grassroots units and revamps for co-processing or fully renewable applications.

About Cepsa
Cepsa is a leading international company committed to sustainable mobility and energy with a solid technical experience after more than 90 years of activity. The company also has a world-leading chemicals business with increasingly sustainable operations.

Under its Positive Motion strategic plan for 2030, Cepsa aims to be a leader in sustainable mobility, biofuels, and green hydrogen in Spain and Portugal, and to become a benchmark in the energy transition. The company places customers at the heart of its business and will work with them to help them achieve their decarbonization objectives.

ESG criteria inspire everything Cepsa does as it advances toward its net positive objective. Over the course of this decade, it will reduce Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 55% and the carbon intensity index of energy products sold by 15-20% versus 2019, with the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

About Apical
Apical is a global leader in vegetable oil processing, with integrated operations across Indonesia, China, and Spain. Our refineries, oleochemical factories, kernel crushing plants and biofuel facilities support diverse industries worldwide. Through strategic partnerships, we extend our reach to Brazil, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Middle East, Africa, USA, and Vietnam. Committed to sustainability and transparency, Apical strives to make a meaningful impact on environment and society, while driving business growth and delivering innovative solutions to its customers.

About Topsoe
Topsoe is a leading global provider of technology and solutions for the energy transition. We combat climate change by helping our customers and partners achieve their decarbonization and emission reduction goals.  

Based on decades of scientific research and innovation, we offer world-leading solutions for transforming renewable resources into fuels and chemicals for a sustainable world, and for efficient and low-carbon fuel production and clean air. 

We were founded in 1940 and are headquartered in Denmark, with over 2,800 employees serving customers all around the globe. To learn more, visit www.topsoe.com.   

For more information, please contact: 
Ulrik Frøhlke, Media Relations Manager
Phone: +45 27 77 99 68 
Mail: ulfr@topsoe.com