Gas to drive Italian energy transitionThe Italian LNG Summit was held in Livorno on 14 March for the first time, promoted by OLT Offshore LNG Toscana and Assocostieri and supported by the main national institutions.
During the summit, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport representatives highlighted how gas in Italy will drive the energy transition.
It was stated that LNG, in particular, will play a decisive role in the transport field (maritime and terrestrial) following the DAFI Directive, which, starting from 2020, will impose a reduction in sulfur emissions.
Concerning security and diversification of supply, the contribution provided by regasification terminals since in 2018 has been approximately been 13% of national requirements. OLT’s regasification terminal has not only demonstrated its operative performances; it has been working at almost 100% of its capacity; but also its environmental ones. According to the Italian Ministry of Environment, the facility, which obtained the renewal of the environmental declaration EMAS, is one of the most best performing plants in Italy.
During the summit, the prospect of a small scale LNG project was raised; different companies are currently carrying forward a working plan for a small scale LNG project in Livorno. Among them, Edison has allocated about €100 million of investment and OLT is applying for the necessary authorisations for the plant adjustments to start the service in 2021.
The Livorno terminal, thanks to its position in the heart of Mediterranean, could represent a crucial hub for the development of storage terminals inside the Italian harbours, in particular for the ones located in the Tyrrhenian’s coast.
“Together with Assocostieri we decided to promote an articulate debate on LNG” stated Richard Fleischmann, OLT Offshore LNG Toscana MD.
“Our current objective is to make the Italian LNG summit a regular appointment which will connect the national, regional and local institutions with the territory, since the present and future use of LNG has to take place according to maximum sustainability.”
“LNG plays a crescent role into energy national and international scenario” commented Alessandro Fino, OLT Offshore LNG Toscana MD. “We are one of the most used terminals in all Europe, a significant result made even more important by excellent performances of the plant, from the security and environmental point of view.”
“As the association representing the logistic of energy in Italy”, Marika Venturi (President of Assocostieri) pointed out, “we are at the forefront when we speak about LNG.
Assocostieri represents among its associates the three regasification terminals active in Italy, as well as the majority of companies which are developing the small scale storage's and bunkering marine operators.
We firmly believe in the role of LNG in the future and we constantly work to improve and facilitate the coastal logistic of small scale LNG.”
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