LG Chem and Enilive have taken a significant step forward in accelerating the growth of biofuels by breaking ground on Korea’s first hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production plant.

The facility will be built within LG Chem’s Daesan Chemical Complex in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The plant is being developed by LG-Eni BioRefining, a joint venture between LG Chem and Enilive.

Scheduled for completion in 2027, the facility will process approximately 400,000 tons of renewable bio-feedstock annually.

“LG Chem is transforming its portfolio to build a low-carbon foundation that enables both sustainable growth and long-term profitability,” said Shin Hak-cheol, CEO of LG Chem. “By advancing innovation in renewable fuels and bio-based feedstocks like HVO, we aim to strengthen our global competitiveness and meet the evolving needs of our customers efficiently.”

“Breaking ground on the Seosan biorefinery reaffirms Enilive’s strategy to deliver increasingly sustainable products,” said Stefano Ballista, CEO of Enilive. “Together with our operational plants in Italy and the U.S., and new facilities under construction in Italy and Malaysia, the Daesan plant will help us reach our goal of expanding biorefining capacity to over 5 million tons per year by 2030—including over 2 million tons of SAF.”