Eni and PETRONAS are stepping up their push to decarbonize transport with a new agreement to explore high-performance bio-gasoline that could eventually move from motorsport to commercial vehicles.

 

The companies signed a Feasibility Agreement during the 2026 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix to assess the technical, market and sustainability potential of bio-gasoline made from renewable raw materials.

 

The project will build on Eni’s established Ecofining technology, which the Italian energy company has used since 2014 to produce HVO biofuels from renewable feedstocks.

 

The partners will assess the performance of the new fuels in motorsport competitions, with an eye to using the technology as a foundation for future commercial products.

 

The agreement expands an existing relationship between Eni and PETRONAS, which have both developed extensive expertise in biofuels and sustainable energy technologies.

 

Eni will bring its experience in renewable-energy solutions and commercial-scale biofuel production through its Enilive biorefineries. Its portfolio includes HVO diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, while the company is also developing new bio-gasoline technologies.

 

PETRONAS, meanwhile, will contribute its expertise in fuel technology and high-performance sustainable fuels for combustion engines, alongside experience in advanced product development and sustainable energy solutions.

 

The collaboration comes as both companies broaden their wider energy partnership.

 

Eni and PETRONAS recently established Searah, a 50:50 independent joint venture combining key operations in Indonesia and Malaysia, including 19 gas production and development assets.

 

The companies are also working with Enilive and Euglena through Pengerang Biorefinery Sdn. Bhd., a joint venture developing a biorefinery in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia.

 

The facility is expected to begin operations by the second half of 2028, with capacity to process up to 650,000 tonnes of renewable feedstocks a year and produce sustainable aviation fuel, HVO diesel and bio-naphtha.

 

Enilive currently markets HVO diesel at more than 1,700 service stations across Europe, underscoring the potential scale of Eni’s renewable-fuel platform as the companies look beyond existing biofuel technologies.

 

The latest feasibility study could provide a pathway for bio-gasoline to follow a similar trajectory—from high-performance motorsport applications to commercially scalable fuels for road transport.