Energy autonomy

Energy has become one of the major factors that impact Europe's competitiveness, economic security, and strategic autonomy. The energy crises of recent years have highlighted the extent to which reliance on external resources can translate into price volatility, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty for citizens and industries.

In this context, strengthening energy autonomy is becoming increasingly important to guarantee a secure, diversified and resilient supply, reducing exposure to external risks and bolstering European value chains. 

Reaching this goal requires much more than deploying new energy sources. Europe needs to transform its energy system without undermining the industrial capabilities that currently ensure its security of supply and support its competitiveness. The energy transition does not start from scratch: it builds on infrastructure, expertise, value chains, and industrial assets that can evolve to supply the energy and raw materials the European economy will continue to require. 

Among these industrial capabilities, the refining sector holds a strategic position. Beyond supplying fuels, it is a critical infrastructure for the European economy, providing energy for transport and essential raw materials for industries such as chemicals, automotive, aviation, and defense.  European refineries supply 97% of the energy used in transport and around 50% of the essential raw materials for Europe’s chemical industry.  Its role is particularly relevant in an international context marked by persistent geopolitical tensions, energy markets disruptions, and fierce global competition.

Far from being a static sector, European refining is undergoing a profound transformation. Refineries are progressively integrating renewable and recycled feedstock alongside conventional ones, incorporating low-carbon technologies, and evolving into industrial complexes capable of producing renewable fuels, circular feedstock, and new low-carbon molecules. This transformation makes it possible to maintain security of supply while advancing decarbonization by leveraging existing infrastructure and industrial capabilities.

Renewable fuels are one of the best examples of this industrial transformation. They represent how the same solution can simultaneously contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions, reinforcing security of supply, and increasing European competitiveness. 

They are produced from organic raw materials such as biomass, agricultural and forestry residues, used oils or by-products of the agri-food industry, many of which are available in Europe. This makes it possible to take advantage of local resources, reduce dependence on imports and generate new industrial value chains.

In addition, their development boosts investment, employment and technological innovation, while taking advantage of existing industrial infrastructure, reducing the need to build new systems from scratch. 

At Repsol, we have been transforming our industrial complexes into multi-energy hubs for years, integrating the circular economy, renewable energy, energy efficiency and new technologies with a low carbon footprint. This transformation makes it possible to adapt existing facilities to produce renewable fuels on a large scale, while reinforcing industrial competitiveness and European energy autonomy.