F3 Ravenna: over 40 million euros for an increasingly efficient and sustainable waste-to-energy plant serving Italian industry

Completed the upgrade, which has led to increased treatment capacity and improved environmental performance. The authorisation process for the recognition of the R1 operation has also been finalised, making the plant a national benchmark and a valuable platform for businesses and stakeholders

The F3 waste-to-energy plant in Ravenna has recently completed a major programme of technological and plant-related upgrades which, thanks to investments exceeding €40 million, reinforces its role as a strategic infrastructure for the management and recovery of industrial waste, including hazardous waste. The work carried out has made it possible to expand the plant’s operational scope and further improve its environmental performance. The project was presented last October 7 to the Mayor of Ravenna, Alessandro Barattoni, in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer of the Hera Group and the Chief Executive Officer of Herambiente.

The investment programme was carried out in two phases. The revamp, completed in 2023, involved the combustion section, the flue gas treatment system, the boiler and the waste feeding systems, enabling treatment capacity to be increased to 50,000 tonnes per year and improving pollutant abatement. Subsequently, major maintenance work was carried out on the plant’s main sections, boosting energy efficiency, operational reliability and overall performance.

Thanks to these measures, the F3 plant is now equipped with the Best Available Techniques (BAT) required at European level for the thermal treatment of waste and remains one of the country’s leading facilities dedicated to the management of complex industrial waste, particularly from the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

In addition to the completion of the modernisation programme, in September the plant also obtained the R1 status, which authorises the waste management as an energy recovery operation. This accreditation attests to the plant’s high efficiency and enables client companies to recover energy from their waste within a certified process. The R1 operation represents, in fact, a significant added value for clients and stakeholders and consolidates the F3’s role as a national benchmark for waste treatment facilities, capable of combining technological innovation, environmental protection and support for the circular economy strategies of Italian industry.