Sicily

Gandolfo changes pace: 80 million plan for energy, renewables and fuel network

The Sicilian group launches Gan Energia and accelerates diversification: from the agricultural diesel born in Sambuca di Sicilia to the gas and power market, to the 50 million operation on more than 200 plants in Northern Italia

by Nino Amadore

18 April 2026

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

From Sambuca di Sicilia to the national energy market. From agricultural diesel sold in 1975 by grandfather Francesco, who returned from Venezuela, to gas and power, biofuels, photovoltaics and the relaunch of a network of over 200 plants in northern Italia. The Gandolfo Group is changing step and putting an 80 million euro investment plan on the table to accompany a transformation that is no longer just commercial, but industrial.

The launch of Gan Energia, the new company dedicated to the sale of electricity and gas, presented in Palermo at the Villa Igiea during the 'Sustainable Energies and Synergies' event, is just one of the pieces. The real turning point is diversification: getting out of the traditional enclosure of oil, without abandoning it, and building around the group a broader energy platform, capable of holding together fuels, renewables, biofuels, logistics and direct energy sales.

'Gan Energia represents a natural evolution of our history,' explains Francesco Gandolfo, group CEO. 'If my grandfather started with agricultural diesel and my father expanded into industrial diesel, today the energy transition requires us to look at clean energy. Offering clean and transparent bills is our goal, maintaining trust, proximity and short supply chain, values that have distinguished us for decades'.

The 80 million plan

The trajectory passes through an overall EUR 80 million investment plan. The most important part concerns the operation in the fuel sector in Northern Italia: together with EOS, the Gandolfo Group will lead the relaunch of the Europam branch with an investment of around EUR 50 million and the control of 95% of more than 200 plants. A network mainly distributed between Piedmont and Liguria, with a presence also in Lombardy, Veneto and Tuscany, plus four depots.

It is an operation that changes the group's scale. Gandolfo, historically rooted in Sicily, is thus aiming for a national positioning in a market that is experiencing a phase of strong selection. Oil companies have progressively reduced their direct presence in the ownership of service stations, while many small operators are struggling to cope with costs, reduced margins and price volatility. In this scenario, growth in size becomes a tool for defence and development at the same time.

'The oil world is also changing,' Gandolfo reasons. 'The companies have somewhat shifted away from station ownership and the small ones are suffering. This operation serves to position us among the major players in the sector in Italia'.

Gan Energia and the bet on 'clean bills'

Gan Energia, which entered the market in September 2025 and has already achieved a turnover of EUR 5 million, fits into this strategy. The company relies on a proximity model, with transparent tariffs, fixed prices and a simplified bill. The formula chosen by the group is that of 'clean bills', with few items and a direct relationship with the customer.

The first physical branch, the 'Gan Point', was opened in Sambuca di Sicilia, the company's place of origin. Here the group also launched the 'Sambuca special', a zero spread offer dedicated to residents of the town. A symbolic choice, but consistent with the approach claimed by the company: to grow outside Sicily while maintaining a strong link with the territory from which everything started.

Photovoltaics, HVO and logistics

Diversification also goes through renewable energy production. The group has acquired a 1 MWp photovoltaic park in Castellammare del Golfo, capable of producing around 1.5 GWh per year. A share of 40 per cent of the company's needs will be covered internally, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, while the remaining 60 per cent will be supplied to customers as 100% green energy.

On the fuel front, Gandolfo has converted the Via Messina Marine depot and a number of stations to dispense HVO, a biofuel made from vegetable and animal waste that allows an estimated 85-90% reduction in emissions. The plan also includes electric recharging facilities and artificial intelligence systems to optimise fleet routes, with the aim of reducing consumption, costs, and environmental impact.

'The transition needs time,' Gandolfo emphasises, 'We must accompany it gradually, without forcing it, but moving forward on alternative sources and energy independence. Today more than ever, with international tensions, the issue of energy independence is central'.

A holding benefit for the new phase

The new course also passes through the corporate structure. FG Holding Benefit places common benefit, environmental, social and governance sustainability at the centre of its statutes. Not just a formal adaptation to ESG criteria, but a functional choice for the group's new industrial identity. Gan Energia's operational team is predominantly composed of women, while the strengthening of the sales network should generate new hires in Sicily. This is another element of the plan: using the transition not only as an environmental lever, but also as an opportunity for organisational and employment growth.

Today, the Gandolfo Group has around 50 roadside service stations, four marine plants in Palermo, Catania, Trapani and Agrigento, four commercial depots, a fleet of its own vehicles, more than 50 direct employees, and an allied industry of more than 200 people. Group turnover is around EUR 140 million.