28th of March, 2024
In the next five years, the country is shielded with digitized networks, capable of distributing biomethane & hydrogen
The 5th Power & Gas Forum, organized by energypress in Athens, was attended by Ms. Barbara Morgante, CEO of enaon of Italgas group, in the presence of political, institutional, academic and business leaders of the country. During her speach, among selected speakers, in the 5th thematic section under the title “Greece as an energy hub”, Ms. Morgante referred to the new era of expansion and modernization of gas distribution infrastructures in Greece and their contribution to the energy transition of the country.
“enaon‘s core missionis to develop smart, flexible and digital gas networks across the country, designed to deliver diverse forms of energy, including natural gas and also renewable gases. With continuous investments in cutting-edge technologies and innovative operations, enaon aims to create a resilient and future-ready grid that will meet the evolving energy needs of end-consumers and contribute to a cleaner future for Greece,” emphasized Ms. Morgante. Today, enaon manages approximately 8,200 kilometers of natural gas distribution network, with more than 600,000 active delivery points, while the company’s development program includes
investments of 770 million euros over the next five years. Referring to the role played by gas distribution infrastructure in the process of energy transition, the CEO of enaon pointed out:
“Natural gas will become renewable tomorrow with the use of biomethane and in the future with hydrogen, maintaining an important role in the energy landscape of countries, under the condition, of course, of the issuance of the normative-regulatory framework. Therefore, the development of new native digital networks and the upgrading of existing natural gas networks to digital, flexible and intelligent ones is vital.” ».
Biomethane is a domestic source of renewable energy and therefore diversifies the national energy mix, reduces dependence on imported natural gas supplies and enhances the region’s overall energy security. Biomethane production contributes in the circular economy and the sustainable development of the distant areas of the region, creating a positive impact on local communities. While policy makers at both European and national level struggle to maintain the delicate balance between decarbonisation strategies, policies aimed at clean forms of energy and ensuring energy affordability, the gas distribution infrastructures developed by enaon are a strategic advantage in the country’s energy arsenal, acting as key accelerators of the fair transition to a more sustainable energy landscape. To this end, a significant part of the company’s investments is aimed at transforming the network into a state-of-the-art infrastructure, fully digitized and efficient. Italgas, as a new player in the Greek energy market through its subsidiary enaon, proves that emphasis on innovation can bring economic and financial benefits while accelerating the energy transition. “In the context of the digitalization of the networks, enaon takes advantage of the technologies developed by Italgas, such as the latest generation smart meter Nimbus which is capable of measuring multiple types of gases even mixed with each other, including hydrogen” noted Ms. Morgante. According to the plan of enaon and its subsidiary enaon EDA, the replacement of existing conventional meters with the Nimbus smart meter will be completed within the next four years, bringing significant benefits to consumers.
As a subsidiary of the Italgas group, enaon remains deeply committed to minimizing fugitive methane emissions. Leveraging advanced leak detection solutions,uses successfuly state-of-the-art technology like the Picarro Surveyor, which was introduced by Italgas as early as 2018. This advanced detection technology enhances detection speed and sensitivity, as well as the range of areas under control. The adoption of this technological innovation, combined with Italgas’ digitization initiatives in Greece, enhance safety, optimize emission monitoring and overall network management and improve the quality of services provided. They also enable the implementation of smart preventive maintenance strategies, increasing the benefits over costs, ultimately benefiting consumers and the environment.
