Project INTEGRIS (INTElligent GRID Sensor communication)

The INTEGRIS project is one of the main projects sponsored by the European Union within the framework of the VII programme of financing activities of research and development of innovative solutions for the development and setting up of new Intelligent energy Networks.

A2A represents Italy in the consortium composed of the Spanish Endesa and other partners (research institutions and technological partners). With the distribution company A2a Reti Elettriche it will carry out an active role in the research, development and testing of this new technology – in particular new means of communication between plant in the field (stations, transformers etc) and new applications distributed for monitoring, command, regulating systems and protection of the electrical networks.

INTEGRIS, together with other attempts of research and development promoted by the European Union, promises to contribute to the making available of new technologies and new services, aimed at improving efficiency, sustainability of energy sources and new innovative functionality of the networks to serve the users.

The technical committee of the project carried out its work for two days at the Casa dell’Energia in Piazza Po in Milan, hosted and co-ordinated by A2A. This is the third meeting for co-ordination since the birth of the project in February of this year; the previous ones were held in Madrid at Endesa and in Paris at SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC. The work of research and experimentation will last thirty months.

The meeting in Milan saw the involvement of experts coming from various European countries, with the aim of ascertaining the state of development of the project and to agree upon the next steps, to reconfirm the objectives and to calibrate the efforts needed to achieve results by the end of 2010.

In particular the aim of the two days was to agree with all participants upon a common vision of the type and quality of the new functionality that had been requested in the development of intelligent networks, in particular to get the members of the consortium to agree on the specific requirements - quality and performance – of the utilities involved (A2A, ENDESA) and the ways with which the technological and academic partners should meet such requirements.

The synthesis of the recommendations and technical decisions will be available in a joint consortium document that will be delivered to the European Union Commission by the end of July, for analysis and approval.

The INTEGRIS project is composed of: ENDESA NF (ENF), A2A RETI ELETTRICHE, INDRA (ITC), CURRENT TECNOLOGIES, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC, FONDACION UNIV. TEC. (FUNITEC) TAMPER UNIVERSITY TEC. (FINLAND), ILIGHT, DISENO SILICIO (DS2)

A busy study visit to Italy by the representatives of the National Energy Regulatory Commission of Ukraine within the framework of the twinning project with AEEG aimed at strengthening the capacity of regulation in the gas sector.

The programme financed by the European Commission forms part of the Community plan ENPI (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument), and is articulated into other underlying projects concerning:

• The reform of the gas sector in Ukraine in line with European legislation:
• The application of incentive tariffs;
• Quality and safety in gas distribution;
• Social tariffs during the transition to a competitive market;
• The unbundling of accounting and operational activities in gas companies;
• Transparency

Annamaria Arcudi,in charge of trading gas of A2A and Ceo of Plurigas, and Loretta Pluda, head of the regulation department of A2A, represented A2A in Milan, with a presentation entitled “A2A: transformation from a local municipal company into a national player”.

Further information	jpg	jpg	jpg	jpg	jpg
Photos of the meeting

The birth of PremiumGas, active in Italy in retail distribution of natural gas “will not change to any great extent the competition in the European sphere or any part of it”
This is the reason why the European Commission has given the go ahead to operations. According to the EU overlapping with A2A activities are limited and the new creation “will continue to have to face an effective competition by other companies”.

PremiumGas is the company that was born through the agreement between A2A, Iride and Gazprom for the retail marketing of natural gas in Italy. The joint venture, that has permitted the entry of the giant Russian into the Italian market, guarantees a volume equal 900 million cubic metres per year, with the possibility of future increases.

“stop the attack on diligence. We agree with the Government but the system of incentives has to be reviewed jointly to avoid damage to more serious manufacturers.”

Giuliano Zuccoli, in his capacity of President of Assoelettrica, the association that unites the main producers of energy, has intervened on the question of incentives to renewables (in particular photovoltaic and wind energy).

“With the action stated in the financial budget (art.45) regarding green certificates, there is the risk of a blockage in the development of the whole sector of renewable energy and damage to all those companies that have invested almost 10 billion. We agree that limits should be imposed, but let’s do this together, the Government and Assoelettrica”- stated Zuccoli. “ We know who the real producers are. We wish to avoid a far west situation and we want to assist the Government in taking adequate measures that discourage speculators without impairing the development of the healthier and more efficient industrial and entrepreneurial components. Many times already we have reported on the birth of operators that have nothing to do with industry and technology, and are mere speculating investors: in this we have to rely on the consumer”.

Edison? The debt will not stop us

Managing Director Ravanelli with Quotidiano Energia. “We will deal with Delmi after the agreement with Edf.” Another 100 mill. € sales after Alpiq. Focus on renewables

The debt taken in isolation does not amount to much; it has to be compared to other values. In the 2010/2014 Plan we stated a Mol ratio of 3 until the end of the period, compared to the initial value of 4.5. We are on the right track to reach the objective”.

Clearly all this means that the Edison problem does not necessarily mean a disengagement of A2A from Foro Buonaparte. A few indiscretions circulating over the last months spoke of a hypothesis prompted by utility: the sale of the quota held by Delmi (51% A2A, 15% Enia, Sel and Dolomiti Energia 10 % each) in exchange for a station and cash.
But the Edf leader, Henri Proglio has openly opposed any splitting up of Edison (QE 18/5) Recently there has been talk of a possible entry of Intesa San Paolo in the holding that indirectly controls approx.31% of Edison, an indiscretion denied however by the bank and labelled as “pub gossip” by the leader of the Lombardy centre Giuliano Zuccoli.

These however are all options that tend to lighten the burden for A2A.

Ravanelli will not commit himself, repeating that “we are open to any solution that will increase the yield of our investment”. It could be possible to blow the dust off the old plan to shorten the chain of control of Edison, with the costly incorporation of Delmi? “We’ll see – says the MD – but the subject of revising the holding will be taken up after reaching agreement with Edf concerning Foro Buonaparte, not before”. For A2A, the important thing is to convince the French (up to now, reluctant) to get round the table.” With Proglio – he emphasises –we have already spoken in Milan a few months ago and dialogue has never been interrupted. Let’s say that now we have felt the need to accelerate the timing”.

The reduction in debt remains however an important factor. “It was one of the cornerstones of the Plan, together with the carrying out of 2.6 billion € of investments and the dividends for our shareholders” says Ravanelli. And the decisive steps will be defined in these coming days, with the sale of 5.16% of Alpiq for 305 million €. An operation handled by this same MD and by the Manager of M&A Mauro Miglio, who is going to join in the sale of the electrical networks at Terna for 36.5 million (QE 1/3). “”Now it remains for us to sell many small holdings for about 100 million € “ says Ravanelli. At this point the disinvestment plan will be completed.

At the same time it will be necessary to increase the Mol. “Our strategy – says the MD – is focused on renewables that already represent 25% of the turnover of the group for over 6 billion at the end of 2009. We want to increase this percentage, concentrating on the hydroelectric development in Montenegro, the district heating in Campania and cogeneration, thanks to our controlled French company Coriance. Everything aiming at internal growth. Acquisitions at present are over”.

 By Carlo Maciocco

In the March 2010 assessment, it was confirmed that A2A has been included in the ethical index FTSE4Good of the London stock exchange.

The index is designed to measure the performances of companies that meet the criteria of Social Responsibility internationally, with a view to facilitating investments in these companies.
In effect, the assessment made by the analysis company EIRIS proved to be positive in three areas interesting Responsible Investment (SRI) and necessary for the rating assignment: environmental, social and governance.

A2A was seen to be conforming to the FTSE4Good criteria, which include: safeguarding biodiversity, the fight against climatic change, relations with the Community, suppliers, the respect of human rights, fight against corruption and policies of quality regarding both the environment and safety.

The FTSE4Good assessment is important for companies to have a standard of Corporate Responsibility, transparent and continuously evolving.
 

For the third year running A2A has been awarded the European recognition “ceep CSR Label” being marked as the only company to have been rewarded in all three yearly events.

The Prize, promoted by the European Commission and the European Centre for Public Utility Service Companies, is an integral part of the Discerno Plus project that promotes, within the European Union, activities of social responsibility, and shows that the Group, when performing its own activities, places value on relationships with the local community, on its own customers and the environment.

Against a background of the "Bibliothèque Solvay" in Brussels, Riccardo Fornaro in charge of “Social Responsibility and Web” operations for the Group, received the “ceep CSR Label” the stamp of recognition for companies that distinguish themselves in the application of European standards as regards corporate social responsibility.

A2A has been singled out as being "Best CSR practices in Public Services" for its activities relating to the evaluation of residual quota of urban waste, started by Ecodeco by means of a Station of Intelligent Transfer system (ITS) and for the reduction in emissions from waste to energy plants using new incinerators with "Dry Low NOx 2.6+" technology at extremely low nitric oxide emission.
It has furthermore been singled out as being "Best CSR Practice in Public Services", for the setting up of an action group for emergencies like the A2A Civil Protection.
 

Interview with Annamaria Arcudi, responsible for A2A gas trading and CEO of Plurigas, at Quotidiano Energia

“Now we are trading in France, in a short time Holland. Another 0.5 m. cubic metres from Gazprom. Iren in Sinergie Italiane? At present they are not bothering us. Target 5.5 m. cubic metres for the group in 2010”

More and more gas for A2A. The Lombardy utility is increasing its presence in European trading, but supply from Gazprom is also a reinforcement, concentrating more and more on sales to Italian end users in joint venture with the Russian giant.

“About a week ago - Annamaria Arcudi stated to Quotidiano Energia – we joined Powernext, the Paris stock exchange, with the idea of making best use of the synergies with our French subsidiary Coriance, active in district heating and cogeneration.
However, already since November, the company has started negotiations with Peg (the transalpine gas interchange point). At present there is little liquidity and therefore the volumes are not high either”.

Last October, A2A Trading had already had access with the Baumgarten hub, with volumes of about 120 million cubic metres annually.

“Our next step, emphasises Arcudi – will be the Dutch Stock Exchange, which we are thinking of joining within a couple of months ”.
After France, A2A is the fifth company to join Powernext in 2010, together with Endesa, ExxonMobil, Enovos Luxembourg e Societé Valmy Défense.
Germany, Holland and Austria are the short term objectives in the utility’s gas trading.And Italy? There are innovations in our country as well, with particular reference to PremiumGas, the joint venture with Gazprom (in which Iride participates as well, with a 30% holding in A2A Alfa, who has a 50% quota in the joint venture).

“This year – says the Milanese Manager - volumes will grow from 1 to 1,5 billion cm, and, as distinct from 2009, they should be aimed mostly at sales to the end users”.
But now that Iride is completing the merger with Enìa, won’t there be problems with the presence at the same time of the new Iren group in Sinergie Italiane?

“Not really– is the reply – because they only have a supply contract with Gazprom and we don’t think that the Russians want to form another joint venture in Italy at the moment”.
So lots of things are going on for A2A in the gas sector. Even though these are not the best times.

“The objective for 2010 –Arcudi concludes – is to repeat the 2009 volumes, equal to a total of 5,5 billion cm”. The manager would not commit herself as to the estimates for 2010. In 2009 Plurigas recorded a turnover of € 1.2 billion, an Ebitda of 32 million and a net profit of 18.6 million.

PremiumGas on the other hand closed their last balance with a turnover of 352.7 million, an Ebitda of 2.25 million and a net profit of 2.12 million.

Today, the 20th April, the Scandale thermo-electric power station in the Province of Crotone was inaugurated, the property of the Ergosud company (a company in which A2A and E.ON have a holding).

 Taking part in the inauguration was the Calabrese RAI journalist Anna La Rosa, well known for her Telecamere column and Antonella Stasi a young and attractive woman from Crotone. Ex Vice President of Confindustria, in her first appearance as Vice President of the new Regional Council, Stasi with feeling thanked above all the local workers who had risen to the challenge issued jointly to E.ON. and to A2A, two among the most important private companies in the energy field.

Klaus Schafer, the Managing Director of E.ON Italia, arriving here by car from Munich, laid emphasis on the presence of E.ON. in the South, a presence that now makes the German group feel fully integrated within the Italian system.

Following the construction of the plant, there remain further challenges to be met, above all, to request Terna for a strengthening of the transport lines, to be able to make the best use of the energy that the plant can generate.

Michele de Censi was also in agreement with this and after having brought greetings from Giuliano Zuccoli, and from all the A2A top management, described the travelling difficulties as a metaphor for A2A’s commitment: many difficulties but to be resolved with determination.

Paolo Venerucci, the Managing Director of Ergosud stated however that the real and proper journey was only just starting, in the day to day running by the many technicians and engineers working in Ergosud, that he asked to rise to their feet in their orange overalls to be applauded by all.

A2A joins “Earth Hour” the international event of WWF

WWF launches Earth Hour for the fourth consecutive year

Over 5000 cities throughout the world on the 27th March 2010 at 20.30 will switch off their lights for one hour: the main objective being to provide maximum visibility to the appeal for greater climate protection by means of small daily activities, useful for safeguarding our planet more and more.

In Milan the illumination of the Castello Sforzesco will be symbolically switched off for one hour.

Industrial performance positive, Consolidated net profit of 80 million Euros, despite the negative impact of 224 million due to moratorium on taxes. Gross Operative Margin 1.032 billion Euros.
Proposed the payment of a dividend of €0.07 per share. 

The Board of Management of A2A has approved the Balance Sheet for business year 2009 which closed with a consolidated net profit of 80 million Euros, despite the negative impact of 244 million due to the so-called “moratorium on taxes”. Net of this impact, the profit would have been 324 million Euros representing a 2.5% growth compared to business year 2008. The Board has thus proposed the payment of a dividend of €0.07 per share.

Group revenue arrived at 5.91 billion Euros, slightly less than the previous year, while the Gross Operative Margin remained well above a billion Euros at (1.032 billion).

The net financial debt grew owing to the acquisition of new important quotas, industrial investments, the consolidation of E.On Production and to the payment of amounts due, again in connection with the moratorium on taxes.

“ A significant dividend has been proposed for this year as well –stated the President of the Board of Management Giuliano Zuccoli – to continue our policy of satisfying the shareholders and to give a precise signal as regards the positive expectations that we have for 2010.”

“The industrial performance of the Group – added the Managing Director of the Corporate and Marketing Area Renato Ravanelli –despite the negative economic situation, has been excellent, a sign of the full state of health of the Company. The market has recognised this and 2010 will be an important year that will provide much satisfaction for shareholders.”

In business year 2010 the results of the Group will reflect positively the effects connected with the consolidation for the whole year of the assets deriving from the division of E.ON Produzione S.p.A. (the thermoelectric power station at Monfalcone and the hydroelectric centre in Calabria), joining the Group during business year 2009, together with the full functioning of the new Thermo-electric power station at Gissi (Ch) and from the starting of operations of the Scandale (Kr) station.

A further positive contribution will be provided by the upgrading of the Brescia waste to energy plant and the proposed extension of the district heating networks in Milan and Bergamo.

It is estimated that during the course of 2010 extraordinary operations aimed at rationalising the investment capital, together with the positive generation of the operational fund, will permit a reduction in the Group’s level of debt.

A2A at the forefront for the protection of the glacial heritage in Lombardy

Presentation at the Casa dell’Energia the results of research into the present day tendencies of the Alpine glaciers and connections with climate change

Claudio Smiraglia, world famed glacier expert and professor at the Università degli Studi of Milan presented on 23rd March last the latest results concerning the state of health of the glaciers in Lombardy.

Two main results emerged: the increase from 1991 to 2003 in the number of glaciers in Lombardy (from 334 to 348) by reason of the fragmentation of numerous glaciers (e.g. Pisgana in Adamello, Sobretta and Zebru' sul Cevedale), and the drop in the levels of the glaciers themselves from approx. 117 km2 in 1991 to approx. 92 km2 in 2003 (-21%).

The conference was the a forerunner to the 14° international meeting “Alpine Glaciology Meeting” organised by the Department of Science of the Earth at the Università degli Studi of Milan for 25th and 26th March

Claudio Smiraglia together with the researcher Guglielmina Diolaiuti illustrated furthermore the present state of health of the glaciers in Lombardy and presented the volume “Climate and Glaciers – the Evolution of the Glacial Resources in Lombardy” realised with a contribution by A2A.

The volume can be downloaded on line on the internet website of Glaciology of the Department of Science of the Earth at the Università degli Studi of Milan.

The project for electric vehicles “E-Moving” has been presented at Palazzo Marino, the Headquarters of the Milan Municipality.  The pilot phase will start in June 2010 in the cities of Milan and Brescia and will continue for a year.

The two Lombardy cities are vying to become the “reference cities” for electric transport in Italy, starting first of all with the development of a structured, complete and avant-garde electrical recharging network.

The recharging infrastructure, whose installation by A2A in the cities of Milan and Brescia will commence in May, will be developed to carry out two recharging methods:

• a standard recharging from a 220V 10A or 16A socket, that will enable the battery to be recharged in a time between 6 and 8 hours.
• A rapid recharge from a triple phase 400V 32A - 63A socket to recharge the battery in a time between 20 and 30 minutes depending on the amperage output.

The electrical energy supplied by A2A for recharging electric vehicles will derive significantly from renewable sources, this being a useful factor in pursuing an objective of a complete zero emission cycle.

The vehicles that will be involved in the “E-MOVING” pilot scheme are two of the four comprising the Renault-Nissan Zero Emission range that will come onto the market as from 2011.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and A2A will work together to offer customers a wide range of commercial solutions for the purchase or the hire of Renault and Nissan zero emission vehicles and for the supply of electrical energy at a flat rate or based on consumption.

For further details	pdf
Press Release

On 9th March last the two Presidents of Amsa (Companies of the A2A Group) and BSR (the Berlin municipal company specialising in street cleaning and rubbish collection) Sergio Galimberti and Vera Gade-Butzlaff, signed the agreement at the Head Office of the German company (Ringbahnstrase 96, 12103 Berlin), to make operative their collaboration aimed at further improving production processes and to study more and more advanced solutions from a technological point of view.

The agreement is extended to other cities such as Vienna, Zurich, Paris and Lyon and originates from a common platform of topics and problems, from street cleaning to the integrated waste cycle, the handling and emptying of rubbish bins and the fight against graffiti.

From this agreement a possibility of dialogue and comparison is created, to be able to optimise services relating to both urban development and the changes brought about in the large European cities by immigration of new communities.

The Civil Protection Group of A2A has been activated by the National Department for Civil Protection represented by the Operative Unit for Civil Protection for the Lombardy Region, to send to Haiti Port Au Prince two of our technicians (an electrician and a plumber).

The persons selected by the association are Kaltembacher Luigi and Lampugnani Luciano.

Their stay in Port Au prince will be about fifteen days to carry out all operative activities within their terms of reference that will be requested by the National Department of Civil Protection present on the spot.

Another two voluntary workers, Bossi Luigi and Paolo Volantini from Valtellina have left to reach Leogane with the task of carrying out a technical inspection at a reception centre for about 300 people, managed by ONG Intersos with which the General Management of A2A has decided to collaborate to realise the necessary technical plant.

Subsequently further voluntary workers will be sent to realise the plant.

For further information

Voluntary Workers Association for Civil Protection A2A
Headquarters: Corso di Porta Vittoria, 4 - 20122 Milan
Officesi: Via Lampedusa, 12 - 20141 Milan
Telephone: 02 7720 4560
Fax: 02 7720 4008
email: protezione.civile@a2a.eu  
 

Management of hydroelectric basins: A2A accepts the invitation of the Sondrio Province and the Unione Pesca Sportiva di Sondrio (Sondrio Sports Fishing Union). Lombardy Region authorizes contemporary silt clearance. Val Pola used as a large desilting basin.

Sondrio, 5th March 2010 – as from the second week of March until 23rd April, A2A will have to carry out silt clearance operations of the Cancano dam and subsequently those of Valgrosina and Sernio.

The operations consist of transferring downstream sedimentary material that over the years, both as a result of the change in atmospheric conditions, and owing to the lack of relative legislation, has accumulated without having been able to be managed correctly.

This material, for the most part glacial silt, and sand can create problems particularly for collectors and for discharge and must therefore be removed.

As regards the Cancano dam, by request of the Sondrio Province and UPS, and with the collaboration of the companies present in Val Pola, the material floating downstream will be directed along the natural river bed of the Adda as far as the Val Pola area, which will allow a natural desilting of the main part of the suspended matter, thus obtaining as well an environmental upgrading of the new course of the Adda that is taking place.

All activities will be constantly monitored, checking both the concentration of solids and their typology, both by means of various fixed monitoring stations and by takings on site. In any case the work will be constantly assessed by a team of experts made up of representatives of the Region, ARPA, the Province, UPS and by the company GRAIA, a company of management and environmental research of fishing waters, that is the consultant for the Provincial Administration for the INTERREG project.

As from the first days of April, if there are no hydrological restrictions mainly relating to the flow of melting snow, floating operations will start in the Valgrosina basin and the Sernio dam; these will permit the efficiency of the plant to be maintained and avoiding in this way activities in August – September, in the interest of the fishing tourism during that period.

This project has been shared jointly with the hydroelectric management, the Sondrio Province and subsequently also by the competent territorial body: Lombardy Region

The realisation of these operations applying the above-mentioned methods will enable, among other things, the reduction to the minimum of any inconvenience to fishing enjoyment along the Adda collector, as envisaged by the new agreement protocol, no more than a few weeks ago, between UPS and A2A and drawn up to protect and upgrade the river environment also as regards operations of maintenance and silt clearance of the basins.

In agreement with the competent bodies, floating activities have already been carried out also in an “experimental way” on the Valgrosina reservoir between 2006 and 2009, with excellent results.

This same method was used in the same way last year for the handling of the Sernio basin as well as the monitored method included in the INTERREG ITALIA-SVIZZERA “use of water, safeguarding of the environment and the biodiversities in the Adda, Mera, Poschiavino and Inn basins” the same project will partly be applied this year as well for the controlling of the floating of the Cancano Dam.
To safeguard the fish stock fauna however, UPS in agreement with A2A will carry out sample takings of fish present in that part of the river, which will then, relocated in the watercourses not affected by floating operations.

The Mayor of Monfalcone meets Giuliano Zuccoli President of the A2A Board of Management: closure of groups using combustible oil is envisaged and the improvement in the impact caused by those using coal in the Monfalcone Thermo-electric Power Station

Monfalcone, 26th February 2010- the Mayor of Monfalcone, Gianfranco Pizzolitto met the top management of A2A to examine various aspects relating to the Thermo-electric Power Station and in particular to tackle the problem of making effective the agreement signed with the Region concerning environmental upgrading of the plant and the Group investment programme.

“The company – stressed Giuliano Zuccoli President of the A2A Board of Management – by reason of its characteristics, being the expression of two important municipal companies, wishes to have positive relations with the institutions and the territory in which it is present and, as regards Monfalcone, it intends to further coordinated action aiming, on the one hand, at a strong reduction in impact from an ecological point of view and, on the other hand, at developing innovative forms of district heating".

The most important decision, and which was received by Mayor Pizzolitto with much satisfaction, concerns the total and definite elimination of groups using heavy oil, without them for the moment being reconverted to gas.

In substance, A2A confirms its wish to maintain valid the option to activate the two groups for natural gas generation, but not to implement their starting up straight away. The present situation of the domestic electric market, conditioned today by an imbalance between the effective availability and the usage potential, obliges A2A to exercise extreme caution concerning this not very convenient solution.

The closure of the two combustible oil units solves the most serious problem for our city as regards the environmental risk and pollution, and for whose elimination the municipal administration has strongly striven. Mayor Pizzolitto had also recently requested the convening of a regional table to obtain guarantees concerning, as had been done in the past with the Illy Council.

Important investments will however be carried out by A2A in the coal groups (with clean coal technology) to produce further improvements to accompany those already produced from the groups in operation with the introduction of desulphurisers that combine a greater energy efficiency with the least environmental impact. This action too falls within the requests made by the Municipality to reduce even more the impact of the plant on the health of the citizens.

The company has guaranteed the present level of employment and has accepted the proposal of the Mayor that in the tenders for this work, local companies are invited, in accordance with current regulations.

Two interesting spheres of co-operation have opened up between the Lombardy group and the municipal administration in the field of innovation and research. Experimentation of forms of district heating is envisaged, that is, the heating of the citizens’ buildings by the distribution of hot water and steam deriving from the Plant to the houses and with subsequent return to the same plant. At the same time, initiatives and projects will be carried out as well, in particular in the field of research, that could avail themselves of municipal funds.

Just recently the Municipal Council has authorised the Mayor to participate in partnership agreements for the European Tender for the seventh research programme in the energy field for the exploitation of eco-sustainable solutions.

A further piece of news arising from the meeting concerns finally the commitment assumed by A2A with Mayor Pizzolitto that excludes the possibility of investing in nuclear power in the municipal site at Monfalcone. Conversely, the Group has confirmed its attention to the territory and the wish to continue to support initiatives of a social nature. 

A2A wins the BICSI ENERGY prize for the second year running

On the basis of information received from OSSERVATORIO ENERGIA and from SME Business Panel © “Energia”, on the occasion of the convention on 18th February, 5 “excellent” companies were rewarded for the quality of their commercial relations with their customers.

A2A has been recognised for the best performance of customer satisfaction in all segments of the “energy” markets analysed.

The prize was received by Paolo Bellotti, Marketing Manager of A2A and Andrea Zauli, manager of the Call Center of A2A Customer Services.

Severino Bongiolatti, the manager of A2A Customer Services commented as follows:

“The BICSI Energia Prize, obtained for the second year running, is a confirmation for A2A Customer Services and is in line with the investigations carried out by the Authority for Electrical and Gas Energy, the highest authority in the sector.

 The Authority says that 93.4% of our customers are fully satisfied, 12.3% above the national average.

 But with respect to what the customers themselves have recognised as being the most important, that is, the “capacity to solve problems in the shortest time possible” we are 16.3% above the average for the sector; 92.5% of customers satisfied with a national average of 76.2%

This means that our commitment has been clinically directed towards the real demands of our customers.

 This is information that gives great satisfaction, going beyond the A2A business and represents the qualified contribution by A2A to a Milan that is functioning.

 This result did not arrive by chance. It was wanted, pursued and obtained!!

 Each individual person that has formed part of this success is a protagonist by dint of his effort to learn, his discipline, his dedication and sense of responsibility.

 Once again, thank you to all colleagues for the intelligent contribution”

With the signing of the agreement between A2A and CityLife, the developers active in the revamping of the historic quarter of the Milan Fair of the same name, there is the first example in Milan of the realisation of an entire quarter being supplied, for all requirements relating to winter heating and summer cooling at zero emission without any form of combustion. 

The district heating in Milan was developed by A2A since the 1990’s. The existing network allows over 200,000 Milanese citizens to be served. This permits a drastic reduction in the use of hydrocarbons (diesel etc), greater efficiency and a reduction in CO2 emissions of about 250,000 tons annually.
The development project planned by A2A comprises an integrated and innovative system of the production of clean heat, thanks to the use of heating pumps supplied by the water table, highly efficient gas co-generation and the recuperation of heat and energy from the treatment of waste.

A2A and the Milan Municipality have been continuing the Plan for District Heating for Milan for some time already, an imposing series of works that aim to cut drastically pollutants produced by traditional heating plants that have an impact of 25% of the total of polluting emissions in the Milan territory.
The district-heating plan is expecting a rapid increase in the district-heating network laid in the City of Milan which should increase the 40km approx. laid in 2006. In 2012 it is expected that about 500,000 inhabitants will be reached by district heating (730,000 in 2015).

For further details	pdf
Press Release

The District Heating Plan for CityLife

A2A will be able to provide heat from district heating from the network supplied by the waste to energy plant at Silla 2: the district heating will provide heat for domestic heating, the production of water, hot for bathrooms and cold for air conditioning by means of absorption refrigerators. A2A supply is planned for the three high rise towers Isozaki, Hadid, Libeskind and for the underground area designed for shops and cinemas. The supply of heat by means of district heating allows the complete elimination of chimneys and the related polluting emissions by using heat recouped from the waste to energy plant.

The new A2A campaign for precautionary measures for the correct use of gas has been launched

Synthesised in the slogan “A2A customers: protagonists of safety” it has been carried out by A2A Reti Gas jointly with Comitato Italiano Gas (CIG) and illustrated in an entertaining and modern fashion by Salvatore Mattozzi, the well-known cartoonist for Corriere Economia,

Milanese citizens are well aware of the importance of the correct handling of domestic appliances, in particular gas appliances, for the safety and security of their own families and during 2009 there were over 67,000 phone calls to the switchboard of the “A2A GAS emergency service”.

During the period 2008/2009 A2A recorded no less than 90 people involved in combustible gas accidents. Of these, no less than 51 persons (around 58%) were foreign citizens. 94% of the accidents occurred in houses and the most frequent cause (approx. 40%) was carbon monoxide emission, due to misuse of the appliance. In the light of these data, A2A has decided to start an action of communication by means of an attractive brochure simple and clear, to transform natural gas into a trustworthy friend and safeguarding in this way the security of houses and places of work.

The campaign is aimed at all families and citizens resident in the areas covered by A2A GROUP and has been translated into five languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese) to inform foreign citizens for their protection as well.

Furthermore, thanks also to the collaboration of the institutions, the campaign “A2A customers: protagonists of safety” will have a capillary distribution in the main meeting places, in places of study and work, on public transport and directly to homes, of course as well as A2A customer points.

For further details	Pdf
Press release (pdf 9 Kb)
English Leaflet (pdf 398 Kb)
Chinese Leaflet (pdf 3 Mb)
Arab Leaflet (pdf 516 Kb)
Spanish Leaflet (pdf 400 Kb)
French Leaflet (pdf 430 Kb)
Rumanian Leaflet (pdf 552 Kb)

The new lighting plan of the Milan Municipality, studied in collaboration with A2A, envisages for the years 2007 – 2009 a total expenditure of 21 million Euros. With the latest and recent setting aside of a further 11 million Euros for 2010, the Administration can start planning more extended areas of citizens.
Since June 2008 to the present 7000 new lighting points have been created.

The Administration’s objective is to arrive, at end of tenure, at an overall 30 thousand new lighting points. This is an important investment, not only for the quantity, but also above all for the quality of the lighting points.

 Today in fact, new street lamps are being installed (the previous ones do not exceed 50 lumen/watt).

The use of these lamps improves the overall performance of the plant and reduces energy costs.

The new plants are characterised furthermore by the emission of white light in place of the traditional yellow which, having a high chromatic performance index, facilitates vision by improving the perception of shapes and colours. This enables a safer nocturnal vision in the street and is much more pleasant in the city parks.

With the new lighting Plan it was decided to adopt a single method for the entire city, which has strong innovative elements, compared to the past:

• Consultations with the citizens, with the Area Council and with local Police to obtain indications and suggestions concerning those streets that need better lighting;
• Lighting by district and not just for individual roads
• “Pedestrian” lighting: lighting is no longer at the service of vehicles but also to favour the pedestrian.

To date essential points have already been illuminated, such as the Central Station as far as the centre, from corso Vercelli to corso Magenta and from Monza-Padova towards corso Venezia. The new lighting can also be seen at Castello Sforzesco, in the Isola district, in the Foppa Lorenteggio area, piazza Caneva, via Silva and the outskirts have already been reached with the recent switching on of new plant in the Fagin area, in via Feltre, in the gardens of via Cerkovo and in Lambro Park.

NEXT STAGES:

• Works being carried out now: District of Ponte Lambro; District of Baggio; Area Sarpi - cimitero Monumentale; Area Zubiani – Margarina; Area Monza/Padova from the bridges FF.SS. to via Vipacco; Area Greco/Maggiolina.
• Work to be effected soon: Area De Angeli-Gambara-Selinunte; Area San Siro.
• Among the most important works in the planning phase are: Sempione/Certosa; Area Missori, Romana, Vicentina (with corso Lodi, Corvetto-Mazzini and Ripamonti); Quarto Oggiaro; Ticinese/Colonne/Meda; Quarto Cagnino/Marx; Area Università Cattolica - San Vittore; Area Conservatorio; Area Testi /Suzzani; Palestro.

Corso Buenos Aires Area

Tuesday 9th February at 18.00 the new lighting plant of Corso Buenos Aires

Milan displays one of the most notable commercial resources: as from this month new and functioning lighting in Corso Buenos Aires and in the adjacent streets.
The Buenos Aires (approx. 1.5km long), from Piazza Oberdan to Piazza Loreto., including some adjacent streets, has been subject to an important lighting revision.

Corso Buenos Aires has now 400 new lighting points, with new suspended lamps: a choice adopted to remove lampposts from the area.

The streets in the Buenos Aires area involved in the new lighting are:
corso Buenos Aires (all the stretch, from Oberdan to Loreto); piazza Argentina; piazza Lima; via Caretta; via G. Spontini; via A. Ponchielli; via U. Aldrovandi; via Giuliano; via Masera; via F. Redi; via Giorgio Jan; via Broggi; via Omboni; via Spallanzani; via Melzo; via Cadamosto; via Francesca Romana Secchi.

“Thanks to the investments of A2A in the national energy companies of Montenegro we have become the first foreign investors in the Balkan States”, stated Silvio Berlusconi in Rome at the close of the summit meeting with the Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, recognising the great commitment. undertaken by our company.

On the occasion of the meeting at Palazzo Chigi between the two ministers, the agreement was ratified that plans the realisation of an electric bridge between Pescara and Bar, 300 km long and with an initial capacity of one thousand MW.

The operational start up of this interconnection is expected to be at the beginning of 2014 when the “green” energy produced by the plants in Montenegro, can start to be imported to Italy and will thus contribute to the objectives of Italy within the framework of commitments taken at a European level as regards climatic changes.
 

A2A will contribute to the reduction of emission of carbon dioxide at a global level, taking the opportunity of international co-operation introduced by the Kyoto Protocol and by the Directives 2003/87/CE, 2004/101/CE and 2009/29/CE, defining the European Strategy for reduction of emissions until 2020.

Within this regulatory framework A2A Trading, with its own Environmental Market Unit managed by Ester Benigni, has for some time been carrying out examinations and studies of some projects to reduce emissions generated by developing countries, in order to create and contract credits entitled CER , proving the reduction of gas emission having greenhouse effect and used in the community system to fulfil the obligations imposed on companies and the States within the Emission Trading Scheme.

Recently a procedure has been launched to validate a project of sustainable technology (entitled Clean Development mechanism) which plans to recuperate heat from a cement factory located in the Chinese Anhui province.

By means of this procedure the UN Agency for Climatic Change UNFCCC, with the help of an external certifying body, will check that the system for heat recuperation, aimed at producing electrical energy, conforms to the principles of the Kyoto Protocol and brings about a reduction in emission of carbon dioxide at a global level.

In the absence of such a plant, the cement factory would in fact have dispersed into the atmosphere heat and drawn from the network electrical energy produced by plants less efficient than the one that has been created.

The acquisition of CER generated by the project will allow A2A Trading to contribute as well to the obligations laid down for the A2A Group concerning reductions in pollutants in accordance with European regulations.