States General of the Italian energy transition: CDP, Snam and Terna together to accelerate the development of sustainable energy infrastructures

Rome, 16 October 2019 - The two day forum dedicated to the future of the Italian energy systems begins today. The forum is organised by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), Snam and Terna. Institutions, companies, associations and stakeholders are participating in the States General of the Italian Energy Transition, which represents an opportunity for discussion and analysis dedicated to the great transformation taking place at the global level and aimed at outlining future energy and network scenarios together.

The forum, being held for the first time, will host, among others, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the Deputy Minister of the Economy and Finance Laura Castelli, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economic Development, Alessandra Todde. The event has the patronage of the Prime Minister's Office and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and has been organised in collaboration with The European House - Ambrosetti.

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti as a long-term investor is actively engaged in helping achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The 2019 - 2021 Industrial Plan has in fact envisaged extending it methods for taking action and extending the investment sectors to areas related to sustainability issues. Already during this year, seven initiatives were launched to support the energy transition and sustainable networks, in close collaboration with the subsidiary companies.

CDP, Snam and Terna - in line with national and European strategic guidelines - intend to trace a path of growth that will allow the country to accelerate the energy transition towards total decarbonisation, also thanks to the use of new technologies, as well as to stimulate the economy and employment through new sustainable supply chains.

During the event, Snam and Terna, with the collaboration of CDP, will present the results of a joint study on future scenarios of the sector, a preliminary step for the preparation of the ten-year plans for the development of the electricity transmission grid and the gas transport network. With a view to a growing collaboration on fundamental subjects such as resilience, security, flexibility, adequacy, planning and management of the infrastructural systems, Snam and Terna will illustrate four energy scenarios that highlight the key role of gas and the electric vector. In a context of continuous energy efficiency, an increasingly electrified system emerges in which the gas infrastructure will have a fundamental role: in particular, it will make possible a greater penetration of intermittent renewable sources and will be an enabling factor for the development of renewable and decarbonised gases like biomethane and hydrogen.

However, this transformation implies a series of challenges to be faced in order for the energy transition process to take place rapidly, effectively and without jeopardising the high levels of service quality achieved, while avoiding excessive costs to the community. Network investments, integration with European markets, increased flexibility of the system, evolution of the markets to allow the integration of new resources for generation, innovation and digitalisation represent a set of essential, coordinated and consistent actions.

' Italy is at the forefront to favour a balanced transition towards a more sustainable growth model, in which the energy sector will play a key role. The important results achieved so far are also thanks to the commitment of CDP and its subsidiaries of excellence such as Snam and Terna. We still face some very ambitious challenges and for this reason CDP is ready, together with the subsidiary companies, to further increase its efforts to lead the country towards the goals set - both nationally and at the European level - to favour an ever-increasing sustainable energy supply chain' stated Fabrizio Palermo, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of CDP.

'We want to make Italy the leader of the energy transition in Europe with cutting-edge technologies that create new opportunities for development and economic growth for the Country's system. In the long term, the gas infrastructures will be fundamental for the development, transport and storage of renewable gases such as biomethane and hydrogen, to favour the growth of electric renewables through power-to-gas and to guarantee safety and flexibility. We have decided to electrify some of our Italian storage and compression plants, making them gas-electric 'dual fuel', reducing emissions, increasing performance and, in fact, interconnecting Snam and Terna's networks to provide precious flexibility to the electricity system. The reduction of the environmental impact will be comparable to that of the replacement of over 150 thousand petrol cars with as many electric vehicles', emphasised Marco Alverà , the CEO of Snam.

' The coordination with Snam and CDP is part of a joint strategy that sees institutions and businesses united in a common effort to ensure that the energy transition becomes a great opportunity for investments and growth in employment and makes the electricity service secure for the benefit of all citizens. Terna is ready to do its part. We are working to put Italy at the centre, expanding the primary role of our country in the European energy system through the use of new enabling factors, new technologies and new skills', commented Luigi Ferraris, Terna's Chief Executive Officer and General Manager.