Italy Explores Natural Gas & Biogas Adoption for Armed Forces Vehicles
(Snam/NGV Journal) The Italian Ministry of Defense seeks to promote clean energy and sustainable mobility and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Snam to explore the possible use of natural gas and biomethane for Armed Forces vehicles with the aim to lower the environmental impact of medium and long distance journeys. The agreement was signed at Palazzo Aeronautica by Undersecretary Angelo Tofalo, Snam CEO Marco Alverà and the CEO of Defense Services Fausto Recchia.
“Making the Defense sector more efficient is one of our main objectives, and we are pursuing this through innovative approaches and sustainable projects. This collaboration represents an important opportunity to develop partnerships with the industrial world. Partnering for further research and technological exchange, in line with the Defense Energy Strategy, will allow for emissions reduction and improve air quality in cities,” said Undersecretary Tofalo.
Alverà also commented: “We are very happy to work with the Ministry of Defense in sustainable natural gas and biomethane mobility, initiating a strong partnership in a field where we are a market-leader, both in Europe and worldwide thanks to a fleet of around 1 million vehicles and a network of around 1,300 distributors. Snam has long been committed to promoting the use of renewable and natural gas for mobility: in our plan for 2022, we have planned over € 200 million of investment in the energy transition.”
The agreement, promoted by the Energy Project Structure (SPE), will launch a technical-economic feasibility study for the installation of refueling systems for vehicles powered by natural gas on Defense areas near their border. This will also allow a dual public/private use and the partial and progressive conversion of the military fleet. “The collaboration between the Ministry of Defense and Snam is part of our overall effort aimed at reducing energy expenditure and environmental impact in the territory, through strategically important elements of the energy supply and distribution networks with a reduced environmental footprint that can be used for dual use,” said the Director of SPE, General Francesco Noto. READ MORE