Eni has taken a decisive step to diversify its energy business. The Italian company has begun construction of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery gigafactory in Brindisi, a project with which it aims to become one of Europe's leading suppliers of energy storage systems and capture more than 10% of the regional BESS market by 2030 .
The development will be carried out by Eni Storage Systems , a joint venture between Eni Industrial Evolution and FIB, part of the Seri Industrial Group. The initiative involves the production of cells, modules, and battery storage systems primarily intended to support the integration of renewable energy sources and improve the stability of the electrical grid.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, and marks the beginning of the conversion of a former industrial area of Versalis, Eni's chemical subsidiary.
The investment responds to the strong growth expected for energy storage in Europe.
According to estimates from Wood Mackenzie cited by the company, demand for stationary battery systems will increase from 36 GWh in 2025 to approximately 138 GWh in 2030 , driven by the need to integrate a greater share of renewable energy into the electricity system.
Against this backdrop, Eni plans to achieve a combined capacity of 16 GWh per year between the new Brindisi plant and the gigafactory that Seri Industrial is already developing in Teverola.
Half of that production will be concentrated in Brindisi, where a BESS systems assembly plant will also be installed, capable of integrating modules manufactured both locally and at the Caserta facility.
Much more than a battery factory
The project includes a second phase that will expand the industrial scope of the complex.
In addition to manufacturing cells and modules, Brindisi will incorporate the production of LFP cathode active material and a battery recycling plant, setting up an integrated value chain to supply both gigafactories.
With this, Eni seeks to reduce European dependence on non-EU suppliers and strengthen industrial autonomy in a technology considered strategic for the energy transition.
"Today we are launching a completely new activity for Eni, with enormous growth potential. This investment will allow us to develop a local value chain capable of generating employment, strengthening European strategic autonomy, and supporting decarbonization without losing competitiveness," said Giuseppe Ricci, Director of Operations for Industrial Transformation at Eni.
The oil company is accelerating its transformation
Entering the battery business represents one of Eni's most significant moves in its industrial transformation strategy.
The company believes that storage will be a key infrastructure to support the growth of renewable energy, storing surplus generation when supply exceeds demand and returning that energy to the grid during peak consumption times.
Seri Industrial also highlighted the strategic nature of the project.
"When change is supported by a solid industrial vision and competitive technologies for the energy transition, it can become an extraordinary growth opportunity for Italy," said Vittorio Civitillo , CEO of Seri Industrial and FAENIX.