The IGCC plant is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
At the beginning of 2000, in addition to refining activities the Group focused on the production and sale of electricity, through the start-up of a cogeneration plant (IGCC – Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) located within the Sarroch industrial site, perfectly integrated with the refinery, and managed by the subsidiary Sarlux Srl.
The IGCC plant is one of the largest of its kind in the world, with an installed capacity of 575MW.
In 2023 it produced over 3.5 billion kWh/year of electricity corresponding to about 42% of Sardinia’s electricity consumption.
575 MW
Installed capacity
IGCC of Sarroch
42%
of Sardinia’s electricity comsumption
Besides being a major electricity production site, the IGCC plant is also one of the largest units for the conversion of heavy products (TAR), and at the same time it is the main “utility” of the production site, thanks to the production of hydrogen, which is then supplied to the hydrocracking and hydrotreating plants, and also thanks to the production of large quantities of steam, necessary for many other refinery plants.
IGCC plant is perfectly integrated with the refinery
3 main strenghts:
- The IGCC plant profitability is maximized in a scenario of large discounts of high-sulphur crudes and wide differentials between HSFO and gasoil (i.e. IMO 2020).
- It represent an energy efficient cycle that provides essential utilities and energy to the refinery.
- SO2 and dusts emissions are comparable to those of natural gas power plants.
Main economic and operational data*
| EUR million | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comparable EBITDA | 182.4 | 240.4 | 207.9 | 195.4 | 196.6 | 220.2 | 151.8 | 105.2 | |
| Comparable EBIT | 109.5 | 174.7 | 111.1 | 96.3 | 145.5 | 167.9 | 96.9 | 48.8 | |
| Capex | 16.9 | 6.8 | 9.1 | 9.6 | 16.6 | 20.7 | 24.8 | 20.1 | |
| Electricity production | MWh/1000 | 4,217 | 4,353 | 4,45 | 4,588 | 4,085 | 4,363 | 4,075 | 4,071 |
| Power tariff | €cent/kWh | 11.9 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 8.1 | 8.7 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 7.6 |
| Power IGCC margin | $/bl | 3.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
* With effect from 1st January 21 the Group adopted a new segment reporting consistent with the change introduced by the transition from the CIP6 / 92 contract to the essentiality regime in the operating modes of the Sarlux plant, which takes into account the very high level of integration of the power plant with the refinery. For further info please see the following link: https://www.saras.it/sites/default/files/documents_attachments/saras_first-quarter-2021_11052021_6.pdf