Varo buys Swedish refiner Preem in bet on biofuels
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 31, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 31, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026

Varo Energy acquires Preem to expand biofuels, investing $3.5 billion in sustainable energy, making it Europe's second-largest renewable fuel producer.
LONDON (Reuters) - Varo Energy, backed by private equity giant Carlyle Group and the world's biggest trading house Vitol, said on Monday it had agreed to buy Swedish refiner Preem, betting on growing demand for biofuels.
Varo already has stakes in oil refineries in Germany and Switzerland and is expanding in sustainable fuel and trading. It plans to invest around $3.5 billion between 2022 and 2026, with two-thirds committed to sustainable energies.
Varo said the combined company would supply around 10% of Europe's road and marine fuels and be Europe's second-largest renewable fuel producer. Preem has a pipeline to produce 1.3 million metric tons of renewable fuel per year.
It owns two refineries with a combined capacity of 352,000 barrels per day. The combined entity will have a hydrocarbon refining capacity of 530,000 bpd.
Varo did not say how much it paid in the all-cash deal. Reuters reported in December that talks were taking place between the two companies.
(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Varo Energy has agreed to buy Swedish refiner Preem, focusing on expanding its biofuels portfolio.
Varo plans to invest around $3.5 billion between 2022 and 2026, with a significant portion aimed at sustainable fuel.
The combined company will supply around 10% of Europe's road and marine fuels and become Europe's second-largest renewable fuel producer.
The combined entity will have a hydrocarbon refining capacity of 530,000 barrels per day.
Varo did not disclose the amount paid in the all-cash deal for Preem.
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