Companies controlled by the CDP Group and FCA-Iveco to invest in promotion of alternative and environmentally friendly fuel by developing natural gas network and distributors
Snam, a subsidiary of CDP Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and its Iveco truck maker to foster the development of natural gas as a transportation fuel. The operation underlines CDP Group’s commitment to sustainability, shared by FCA and Iveco.
The agreement foresees the auto and truck companies together further developing the ranges of their natural gas-fueled vehicles, increasing the innovation of Italian technological excellence recognized worldwide.
Italy can boast of an industrial chain of high-level natural-gas distribution stations, with a technological and environmental value recognized globally. This is due to Europe’s most extensive and accessible pipeline, spanning more than 32,000 kilometers. Not surprisingly, Italy is the first European market for natural gas consumption for vehicles, with over 1 billion cubic meters consumed in 2015 and about 1 million vehicles currently in circulation.
The agreement allows Italian natural gas transportation company Snam to work actively with FCA and Iveco in order to accelerate the development and use of this alternative fuel, considered more sustainable and available than traditional sources. Gas can generate important environmental and economic benefits for consumers, enterprises and public administration. Snam, the leading company in Europe for the management and realization of the natural gas infrastructure, will invest about 200 million euros in the next five years to promote the development of facilities for the supply of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). The commitment will increase the number of CNG filling stations, improve the quality of the delivery service and ensure a more balanced spread of the stations in different regions of the country.
The MoU is the confirmation of the importance CDP Group places on sustainability, expressed in several areas: environment and culture, from town to industry.