The Italian city of Ravenna has added a new strategic infrastructure for the circular economy with the opening of the Ravenna Environmental Center, a complex developed by Eni and Hera through their subsidiaries Eni Rewind and Herambiente. The initiative required an investment of €100 million and has allowed for the revitalization of a 26-hectare industrial area in the Ca’ Ponticelle district.
The new facility was created with the aim of strengthening the management of industrial waste in Italy, increasing the recovery of materials and reducing dependence on landfills through advanced treatment and valorization technologies.
Ca’ Ponticelle, from petrochemical complex to environmental hub
The project is the result of an environmental regeneration process initiated in 2019 by Eni Rewind on land that was formerly part of a petrochemical complex. After completing the remediation activities and permanent site safety works, the area was adapted to accommodate new industrial activities linked to the ecological transition.
Subsequently, the update of Ravenna’s urban development plan allowed the construction of the new facilities to begin in 2023, with operations scheduled to start in July 2026.
The HEA platform strengthens the management of special waste
One of the complex’s main assets is the HEA platform, jointly developed by Herambiente Servizi Industriali (HASI) and Eni Rewind. This multifunctional facility is designed for the pretreatment of special solid and liquid waste from industrial activities and environmental remediation projects.
With a capacity to process up to 60,000 tons annually, the plant incorporates multiple operating lines for storage, repackaging, crushing, and mixing of materials. The goal is to maximize resource recovery, improve operational efficiency, and promote economies of scale for companies using these services.
Furthermore, the infrastructure will reduce the transfer of waste to other regions or countries, strengthening local treatment capacity in one of Italy’s most important industrial districts.
Bioremediation of contaminated soils
The Ravenna Environmental Centre also houses a bioremediation plant managed by Eni Rewind capable of treating up to 80,000 tons of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil annually.
The facility uses aerobic biological processes to break down pollutants and recover the treated materials, which can then be reused as fill in environmental remediation projects. This reduces the consumption of virgin raw materials and promotes a more efficient model of resource use.
Likewise, a specialized laboratory operated by Labanalysis Environmental Services will oversee the analytical processes and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Solar energy and batteries promote the energy transition
The complex’s sustainability strategy also incorporates renewable energy generation; Plenitude, an Eni group company, built a 6 MWp photovoltaic plant that occupies 11 hectares and has more than 10,000 bifacial solar panels.
The system uses mobile structures that track the sun’s path to optimize energy production throughout the day. This infrastructure is complemented by an experimental storage system based on next-generation vanadium flow batteries, which will be connected to the plant in April 2026.
The integration of renewable generation and energy storage reinforces the center’s role as an industrial platform focused on sustainability and energy efficiency.
A model for the Italian circular economy by an environmental center
Project leaders emphasize that the complex combines environmental remediation, technological innovation, and industrial development. For Eni Rewind and Herambiente, the center can become a benchmark for future initiatives aimed at addressing the existing shortage of special waste management infrastructure in Italy.
Regional and municipal authorities believe the investment will strengthen Ravenna’s industrial competitiveness, generate new economic opportunities, and reinforce the city’s role as one of Italy’s leading hubs for the ecological transition and the circular economy.
Source and photo: Eni
