Repsol has commenced large-scale production at its second 100% renewable fuels plant in Puertollano, following a €130 million refinery unit conversion that utilizes used cooking oil and agri-food waste to produce 200,000 tons of bio-diesel annually. When combined with its Cartagena facility, the energy giant now boasts a total Iberian capacity of 450,000 tons per year, directly feeding its premium Nexa Diesel brand across a retail network of over 1,600 service stations in Spain and Portugal. Backed by an additional €16 million investment in integrated green hydrogen loops, this drop-in fuel provides the automotive, heavy-transport, and maritime shipping sectors with an immediate solution capable of slashing life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 98%.
Madrid, Spain | May 26, 2026 – Pushing deeper into its multi-energy transition strategy, Repsol has officially commenced large-scale production of 100% renewable fuels at its Puertollano Industrial Complex in Ciudad Real, Spain. Backed by a €130 million capital investment, the newly commissioned facility becomes the energy giant’s second industrial complex dedicated exclusively to zero-fossil organic fuels on the Iberian Peninsula.
The asset holds an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons of 100% renewable diesel, heavily bolstering Repsol’s existing 250,000-ton-per-year production base in Cartagena. Together, the two hubs position Repsol as Europe’s absolute frontrunner in drop-in biofuel production, boasting a combined capacity of 450,000 tons annually.
A First for Iberian Refining Architecture
The technical execution of the Puertollano plant marks a significant industrial milestone: it is the first time on the Iberian Peninsula that an existing refinery unit built for fossil-based crude processing has been completely re-engineered and converted into a 100% bio-based facility.
The plant is engineered to process organic wastes, primarily used cooking oil (UCO) and agri-food industry residues. The resulting product, marketed under Repsol’s premium Nexa Diesel brand, is chemically identical to conventional mineral diesel, making it instantly compatible with existing cars, commercial truck fleets, and maritime shipping vessels without a single engine or logistical asset modification.
Deep Decarbonization: Circularity & Biogas Integration
On a full lifecycle basis, the 200,000 tons of renewable fuel generated annually at Puertollano will prevent approximately 700,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year compared to the conventional fuels they replace. However, Repsol has pushed the facility’s carbon efficiency boundaries even further via local circular integration:
The Green Hydrogen Premium: Repsol has injected an additional €16 million to integrate a renewable hydrogen loop directly into the hydrotreatment process. By substituting natural gas with local waste-derived biogas, the facility produces its own green hydrogen. This process breakthrough slashes the final net CO₂ footprint of the manufactured Nexa Diesel by up to 98% compared to mineral-origin alternatives.
Macro Impact: Retail Expansion and Local Industrial Fabric
The commissioning of Puertollano directly supports Repsol’s rapid retail energy pivot. Its 100% renewable Nexa Diesel is already commercially distributed across an aggressive network of more than 1,600 service stations throughout Spain and Portugal.
“The start of production at this plant marks another step forward in Repsol’s commitment to liquid fuels from renewable sources, as well as in the transformation of our complex,” stated Antonio Lorenzo, Director of the Puertollano Industrial Complex. Lorenzo emphasized that the highly complex construction phase generated over 650,000 work hours, drawing heavily from 80 local auxiliary contractors.
Part of an €800 Million Transformation Campaign
The renewable fuels unit is the crown jewel of a broader, five-year €800 million capital campaign aimed at modernizing Puertollano into a flagship circular economy hub.
Beyond maritime and heavy-transport biofuels, the site is expanding into high-value specialty chemical markets. In the coming weeks, Repsol is slated to commission a first-of-its-kind plant on the peninsula dedicated to manufacturing Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), a high-strength steel-grade superpolymer used in defense textiles and medical prostheses, alongside its existing chemical recycling ventures like the Reciclex plastics range and recycled mattress polyols.
By linking massive chemical asset re-engineering with downstream retail dominance, Repsol is cementing a highly scalable, infrastructure-ready blueprint to achieve its binding corporate target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
About Repsol
Repsol is a Madrid-headquartered global multi-energy provider operating in over 27 countries with 25,000 employees and 24 million customers. The company is transforming its industrial operations in the Iberian Peninsula into advanced multi-energy hubs to produce low-carbon solutions such as 100% renewable fuels, advancing toward a decarbonized energy future. As part of its binding target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 toward biofuels, circular economy feedstocks, and green hydrogen.
Source: Repsol