Author: adigiuseppe

Athens, February 14^th, 2024 – Italgas has officially introduced the new identity of Greek companies, which are now named “Enaon”, the holding company, and “Enaon Eda”, the operating company.

The announcement was made by Italgas CEO Paolo Gallo during the inauguration of the new Athenian headquarters of the companies, in the presence of Italgas Chairperson, Benedetta Navarra, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis, the Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of Development, Kostas Skrekas, the Italian Ambassador to Greece, Paolo Cuculi. Sia Kossioni, journalist, moderated the event.

The establishment of Enaon and Enaon EDA, which will be responsible for the development and management of services, represents a further step forward in the reorganization process undertaken by Italgas, marked by the merger of the previous three DSOs into one, which occurred in 2023.

“Just over a year ago,” stated Paolo Gallo “we successfully concluded the acquisition of Depa Infrastructure. Today, with the presentation of Enaon, we inaugurate a new chapter in our journey. The launch of the new corporate image comes at a time when we have already successfully achieved significant goals that will enable us to work better and more efficiently. I refer to the migration of the IT system to the Cloud, the unification of the three companies into a single operator, the selection of a new headquarters where people, previously spread across multiple locations, have more space and greater comfort. Italgas confirms itself as the ideal technological and industrial partner to support Greece in the phase-out from coal and lignite towards EU decarbonization goals. Our experience in the digital transformation of networks, an enabling factor for the decarbonization of consumption, has already been made available to our colleagues and will also allow Greek distribution networks to soon accommodate biomethane, green hydrogen, and other renewable gases”.

“Today’s presentation of ENAON and the reorganizational process carried out by the company in recent months are concrete signs of Italgas’ commitment to the Greek market and further contribute to the strengthening of the partnership between our two countries. Italy and Greece indeed boast strong bilateral relations, which continue to grow thanks to the contribution of companies like Italgas that have decided to invest in this market” – stated the Italian Ambassador to Greece, Paolo Cuculi, who emphasized the role of the Italian company in a crucial sector for the development of bilateral relations.

 “The initiatives being taken with a focus on Greece through the Italgas Group -several of which were presented in detail today- are helping us to gain access to technical knowledge that will enable Greek distribution networks to be upgraded in a way that could soon accommodate biomethane and other renewable gases” stated the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr Theodoros Skylakakis.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ENAON AND HABIO

On the occasion of the unveiling of the new brand, Enaon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with HABIO, the Hellenic Biogas Association, which today represents the operators of 48 production plants who have already shown great interest in converting their production into biomethane to be injected into distribution networks.

The agreement, signed by Barbara Morgante, CEO of Enaon, and Alexandros Yfantis, President of HABIO, will last for 2 years and will focus on various topics: from the development of regulatory proposals to the definition of connection parameters to the networks, from the determination of costs for the expansion and connection of plants to the promotion of sustainable biomass collection and the use of digestate as fertilizer.

The collaboration between Enaon and HABIO is strategic to accelerate the development of biomethane, in line with the objectives of the EU and the Greek government. As a renewable gas, biomethane represents an energy source that reduces dependence on foreign supplies and improves energy security. It also contributes to the circular economy and sustainable development of rural areas, generating positive impacts on local communities.

THE MEANING OF ENAON

Enaon takes inspiration from the Greek word “Αέναος” (Aenaos), which translates to “perennial” and “renewable” and, when associated with the energy sector, aims to represent a long-lasting offer capable of meeting current needs and the well-being of future generations. By simplifying its spelling to Enaon, the new brand becomes distinctive, versatile, and with a universal meaning.

Moreover, “Ena” is the Greek word for “one” and recalls the union of the 3 previous DSOs – Eda Thess, Deda, and Eda Attikis – into a single Company; “On” represents the idea of something being active, operational. Enaon, therefore, embodies the commitment to keep energy in constant flow, providing gas continuously and working to equip the country with cutting-edge, smart, and flexible infrastructure.

THE NEW HEADQUARTERS

The Enaon offices in Athens are located at the Politia Business Center:

The new Greek headquarters of the Group offers the opportunity to concentrate in one place many of the people who were previously scattered in various offices and locations across the city, thus enhancing interaction between people, exchanging professionalism and skills, and ensuring greater comfort for workers.

In the new offices, spread over 7 floors, people have access to modern, functional, and flexible spaces for a more effective balance between individual activities and group work. Overall, the architectural project aims to ensure bright, quiet environments away from sources of distraction, as well as areas equipped with tools for remote collaboration.

One of the distinctive features of the new headquarters is the complete overhaul of the ICT infrastructure, aimed at further enhancing cybersecurity. This revision, implemented with significant improvements, has aligned the Greek headquarters with the Group’s rigorous standards and best practices, effectively reducing risks associated with information and communication technologies.

Tokyo, December 4^th, 2023 – Italgas and Tokyo Gas Network have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo to initiate a collaboration in strategic areas of gas distribution aimed at developing joint projects. Italgas is a leader in the industry in Italy, Greece, and ranks third in Europe; Tokyo Gas Network is a subsidiary of Tokyo Gas, the primary natural gas utility in Japan.

The agreement was signed in Tokyo by Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, and Kunio Nohata, Director and Chairperson of the Board of Tokyo Gas Network.

Gianluigi Benedetti, the Ambassador of Italy to Japan stated: “The signature of this MoU holds great significance for the further development of the economic cooperation between Italy and Japan in the field of energy, a strategic area for the prosperity of our economies and the future of our societies. The MoU lays the ground for Italgas and Tokyo Gas Network – two major player in their respective energy distribution national markets – to join forces, cooperate and share technologies to bring about new and innovative industrial projects. This new partnership perfectly interprets the spirit and serves the economic and industrial goals of the bilateral “Strategic Partnership” – launched last January by Heads of Government Giorgia Meloni and Fumio Kishida – which were reaffirmed during the 33rd General Assembly of the Italy-Japan Business Group held in Tokyo on November 7”

“TGNW is very honored to sign this MoU – stated Satoru Sawada, CEO of Tokyo Gas Network –. Based on this MoU, we would like to build a cooperative relationship in various fields, including carbon neutral and earthquake disaster management, and work together to develop the gas distribution business of both companies. Toward the goal of achieving both stable energy supply and decarbonization, as stated in the group’s mid-term management plan “Compass Transformation 23-25,” Tokyo Gas Network will work on enhancing the operation and resilience of its supply network.”

“We strongly believe in global engagement and cooperation – stated Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas. – Especially with organizations that, like us, believe that technological innovation is the driving force behind their growth trajectory. In this regard, our collaboration with Tokyo Gas Network is strategic as it will further strengthen our pursuit of new solutions and the scouting of technologies capable of making our service increasingly efficient, resilient, and sustainable, bringing us closer to the goal of achieving net zero.”

With this MoU, the two companies share their expertise and resources to promote resilience, innovation, and sustainable development of gas distribution networks. Specifically, the Memorandum immediately facilitates the exchange of technological knowledge and best practices in the following areas

• Innovation and digitalization. Italgas will share with Tokyo Gas Network the outcomes, approaches, and innovative digital solutions developed by the Digital Factory to enhance network management, boost operational efficiency, and ensure the sustainability of gas distribution.
• Seismic resilience. The technology developed by Tokyo Gas Network in a highly seismic region like Japan will also be implemented in certain sections of Italgas’ network to further enhance its resilience and assess its widespread application.
• Green gases. The companies will exchange their respective experiences gained in experimenting with new solutions to enable networks for the distribution and management of green gases such as biomethane, hydrogen, and synthetic methane.