Hera Group and Saipem's CO₂ capture project selected to receive nearly €24 million in funding from the EU Innovation Fund
Saipem's Bluenzyme technology is set to be implemented for CO₂ capture at the Herambiente waste-to-energy plant in Ferrara, marking Italy’s first industrial-scale CCS application for this type of facility. This initiative is a key element in the multi-utility’s Climate Transition Plan to reduce its internal emissions.
The project, led by Hera Group in partnership with Saipem, aims to capture carbon dioxide from the plant’s emissions and store it in depleted natural gas reservoirs, significantly lowering emissions while advancing regional decarbonization efforts. Selected for funding in the fourth EU Innovation Fund call for mid-scale projects, the initiative is poised to receive nearly €24 million once the allocation process is complete.
This CO₂ capture initiative is Italy’s first designed specifically for waste-to-energy plants and one of the first in Europe. It employs Bluenzyme™️, Saipem’s modular “CO₂ Solutions” technology, which utilizes an innovative enzymatic process to capture CO₂ emissions from small- to medium-sized industrial sources.
Chosen by European authorities for its innovative design and potential adaptability to other waste-to-energy and hard-to-abate industries in Italy and Europe, the project is anticipated to be operational by 2028, with the European Fund covering a substantial portion of the €53 million needed for construction, pending regulatory developments.
The project will fully abate CO₂ emissions from the Ferrara waste-to-energy plant
CO₂ capture is an essential tool for reducing emissions in waste-to-energy facilities, with the Herambiente plant in Ferrara identified as the ideal candidate for implementation. This project will allow for the capture of approximately 90% of emissions from one of the plant's two lines—equivalent to 64,000 tons of CO₂ annually, which matches the yearly emissions of about 37,000 cars. This captured CO₂ represents the plant’s entire fossil-based emissions, making energy production from waste fully sustainable. The remaining emissions are biogenic and therefore have no net environmental impact. The captured CO₂ will be transported through pipelines and stored in depleted gas reservoirs in the Adriatic.
The new CO₂ capture plant will uphold high safety and innovation standards while optimizing energy efficiency. It will be entirely sustainable, using renewable energy sourced both from the waste-to-energy plant itself and geothermal energy from the multi-utility's district heating network. The low-impact enzymatic capture process can operate on low-temperature heat, like geothermal energy, further reducing CO₂ emissions.
Hera Group's commitment to decarbonization and the Climate Transition Plan
Through this initiative, Hera Group—one of Italy’s leading multi-utilities—reinforces its dedication to advancing the ecological transition within the communities it serves. Leveraging its extensive plant network and multidisciplinary expertise, Hera is establishing itself as a pioneer in carbon neutrality, a key focus of its strategic vision. This project is one of the primary internal actions in Hera Group’s Climate Transition Plan, aiming to reduce emissions and work towards Net Zero by 2050. Of the €4.4 billion earmarked for investments in Hera Group’s 2023-2027 industrial plan, over 30% is allocated to projects that drive decarbonization.
“We achieved the highest score in the European Innovation Fund call: this confirms the highly innovative nature of this initiative. This is a very significant achievement, which sees us as pioneers in Italy with this industrial-scale CO₂ capture solution, applied to waste-to-energy plants. As leaders in the environmental sector, we are paving the way for innovation in this field, leveraging investments and expertise. This is a safe technology and replicable in other plants in Italy and abroad, which combines circular economy activities aimed at material recovery with decarbonization processes. With this solution, in a crucial sector like waste treatment and energy generation, we extend the lifespan of plants while increasing their resilience. This technology is among the main internal levers for reducing Scope 1 emissions outlined in our Climate Transition Plan. We are the first multiutility sector player in Italy and among the first in Europe to declare the Net Zero target for 2050 across all three Scopes: while being deeply rooted in the areas we serve, we feel more than any other company the need to create value, fostering sustainable community development and increasing the resilience of our assets through the enabling power of new technologies” – declared Orazio Iacono, CEO of Hera Group.
“The recognition from the EU Innovation Fund confirms the high level of innovation in Saipem’s Bluenzyme™️ technology for the decarbonization of small and medium emitters in hard-to-abate sectors with a unique project for Italy and in Europe that strengthens our company's role in supporting its clients in their journey towards carbon neutrality”, declared Alessandro Puliti, CEO of Saipem.