Gela Biorefinery power station — Italy

Gela Biorefinery power station is a 210 MW oil power station in Siciliy, Italy. It is operated by Eni Rewind SpA [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 158k homes (estimated). It ranks #112 of 489 Italy power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1962, it is around 64 years old — an older, legacy facility. Its annual emissions of 211,194 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 49k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 2.6% of Italy's electricity; the national grid averages 285 gCO₂/kWh (48.8% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_gelabiorefinery_italy.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000408801; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 210 MW, Gela Biorefinery power station is around the median oil plant in Italy (210 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

211,194 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).

Key facts

Share of Italy oil capacity

2.3% of 9,157 MW across 15 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 12 dated oil plants in Italy is older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest oil plants in Italy

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Eni Rewind SpA [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 63% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 25/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #9 largest oil power plant of 15 in Italy by capacity.

Italy has 15 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 9,157 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Piano Corallo · Solar · 4.5 MW · Sicily
• Butera · Solar · 6 MW · Sicily
• Chiappaporazzito · Solar · 4.9 MW · Sicily
• Caltagirone · Solar · 11 MW · Sicily
• Resinè · Solar · 9.5 MW · Sicily
• Vittoria · Solar · 9.3 MW · Sicily

Location

Coordinates 37.0546, 14.2769 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions