SUSTAIN to change SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 - Pietro Fiorentini
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SUSTAIN ABILITY to change SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
Technology and solutions for a digital and sustainable world
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
We believe in a world
that can get better
thanks to
continuously evolving
technologies
and solutions.
The ability to change
is the basis of our
idea of sustainability.
An idea that we want
to build the future of
5
6
LETTER TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS
HIGHLIGHTS 2020
new generations on.
8 INDEX
2 3
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
LETTER TO OUR
STAKEHOLDERS
Dear Stakeholders,
2020 was undoubtedly a very complex year, a year Our long-term strategy, the synergy between
in which entire sectors experienced heavy economic sustainability and innovation, represents
and social losses caused by an unprecedented a fundamental, enabling lever, and this is why we are
health emergency. But in such a challenging constantly engaged in research and development
scenario, once again, Pietro Fiorentini Group proved activities aimed at ensuring our customers with
to be “anti-fragile”; this characteristic goes beyond technological solutions and reliable, safe and
the concept of resilience, as it identifies an innovative services. In particular, as for projects
organisation that is not only able to resist difficulties, linked to the energy transition towards renewable
but it is able to adapt to changes in the context, sources, with the objective of contributing to the
by acquiring new skills and capacities. Thanks to ambitious objective of achieving carbon-neutrality
the collaboration of all of our resources, we have by 2050, as protagonists.
shown that we know how to turn obstacles
into opportunities, setting ourselves even The challenges that await us are many,
more challenging objectives and re-redesigning but regardless of the uncertainty that distinguishes
strategies when necessary. the historical period we are in the midst of, we look
to the future with determination and positivity.
Sustainability, in particular, played a central role Our intention is to create shared and sustainable
in the re-assessment of our strategy. By considering value in the long term for the organisation,
the social, environmental and governance aspects for stakeholders and for the entire context that
in a holistic manner, we started a project that we operate in, investing in the training and safety
involved every operational area of our business and of collaborators, sharing our knowledge for
we arrived at the publication of this edition of the the development of the local area and reducing
Sustainability Report for Pietro Fiorentini Group. the environmental impact of our activities
to a minimum.
Technologies and solutions for a digital
and sustainable world is the new purpose that Because we have a thousand possibilities to create
we chose to guide our development and that we our future, but only one world to live it in.
pursue every day, always placing our customers
and their needs in the centre of our decision-making
and production processes.
“In our long-term
strategy, the synergy Mario, Cristiano and Paolo Nardi
between sustainability
and innovation
represents a fundamental
enabling lever”
4 5
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
HIGHLIGHTS 2020 LINES OF ACTION FOR THE FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMMES
FOR THE PROMOTION OF SUPPLY OF
DIVERSITY ENERGY CERTIFIED AS
& INCLUSION 100% RENEWABLE
WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OUR FOR OUR SITES
PEOPLE STRATEGY
ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS FOR OBTAINING
PIETRO FIORENTINI EMPLOYER ISO 50001
BRANDING TO IMPROVE OUR ENERGY
IN BRIEF PERFORMANCE
+2,000* 14 +21% COMPANY
GROWING
INVESTMENTS
COLLABORATORS PRODUCTION SITES GROWTH
FLEET
AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD COMPARED TO 2019
INCREASINGLY SUSTAINABLE IN TRAINING
FOR THE ALL-ROUND DEVELOPMENT OF
THE SKILLS OF OUR RESOURCES
* Value including employees and collaborators of the Group.
ESG -32%
ACCIDENTS IN THE
Sustainability PERFORMANCE WORKPLACE IN
COMPARISON TO 2019
€6.7 mln
IN INVESTMENTS FOR
is integrated in our RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT,
IN PARTICULAR FOR
long-term strategy, +11% 55,839 hours
THE PROMOTION OF
RENEWABLE ENERGIES
creating value also for NEW HIRES
COMPARED TO 2019
OF TRAINING PROVIDED
the society and the -14%
environment we live in. ~50% 68%
ENERGY INTENSITY IN
COMPARISON TO 2019
OF NEW HIRES ARE OF THE TOTAL
UNDER THE AGE OF 30 PURCHASES OF THE
GROUP FROM LOCAL
SUPPLIERS
6 7
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
INDEX 4
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
56 OUR BUSINESS AT THE SERVICE
OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION
58 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
1
AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT
66 TRANSITION TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
PIETRO FIORENTINI:
LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
12 WE ARE PIETRO FIORENTINI
13 OUR HISTORY
16
18
PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
SOCIOGRAM
5
20 MAIN INCOME FIGURES
SAFETY AND FAIRNESS FOR EVERYONE
72 OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE:
HUMAN CAPITAL
2 88 WE PROTECT THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE
94 WE CREATE PARTNERSHIPS
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE OF VALUE WITH OUR SUPPLIERS
DEVELOPMENT MODEL 98 CUSTOMER-ORIENTED, ALWAYS
104 TERRITORY AND COMMUNITY
24 OUR COMPASS, OUR VALUES
28 OUR SUPPLY CHAIN
30 AN INTEGRATED BUSINESS STRATEGY 6
32 THE QUALIFYING FACTORS
OF OUR STRATEGY
3 TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY
7
110 GOVERNANCE
AND ORGANISATION
OUR COMMITMENT FOR A MORE 114 RISK AND APPENDIX
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT 120 MANAGEMENT
46 OUR PATH TOWARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 126 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
AND ESG THEMES 132 HEALTH AND SAFETY
47 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
AND MATERIALITY 134 SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT
135 METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
136 GRI CONTENT INDEX
8 9
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
1
PIETRO FIORENTINI:
LEADING PLAYER
IN CHANGE SUSTAIN
12 WE ARE PIETRO FIORENTINI ABILITY
to lead
13 OUR HISTORY
16 PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
18 SOCIOGRAM
20 MAIN INCOME FIGURES
6 8
PRODUCTION PRODUCTION SITES
SITES IN ITALY IN THE REST OF THE
WORLD
We want to lead the changes +100 €398 MLN
as protagonists, which will COUNTRIES CONSOLIDATED
characterise the scenario which WE EXPORT TO TURNOVER*
we live in, in the next few years,
such as digitisation, the transition
+67%
* Group Consolidated Financial
Statements as at 31/12/2020.
towards cleaner energy sources
and greater responsibility on issues TURNOVER
of economic, social and FROM E.U.
environmental sustainability.
10 11
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
WE ARE PIETRO FIORENTINI OUR HISTORY
With over 80 years’ experience, Pietro Fioren- promote the use of green energy sources, That of Pietro Fiorentini is an Italian success story that was able
tini is the global leader in designing tech- such as biomethane, hydrogen and Power- to conquer the world. A story that consists of fundamental mo-
nologically advanced products and servic- to-gas, in order to seize new opportunities ments that have made the Group one of the leading industrial
es for the multi-gas system, especially deriving from the energy transition. companies in north-eastern Italy, internationally acknowledged
regarding the natural gas supply chain: from The customer is at the centre of the as a reference point in terms of product and process innovation.
components and services for transport and Group’s entrepreneurial approach, which
distribution networks to a range of engi- has created an efficient and concrete operat- Together with the issue of digitisation, sustainability represents
neered solutions that include valves, mul- ing model in order to increase the value gen- a field of action on which Pietro Fiorentini's commitment grows.
ti-phase meters, processing plants, cabins erated as much as possible. In this regard, The Group launched a number of projects in 2020 to pursue the
and reduction and metering units. Pietro Fiorentini’s commitment does not end goal of the energy transition: the focus of green initiatives is
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
The Group, whose headquarters are in Ar- with the ability to ensure high quality prod- based on the innovation of solutions related to the world of re-
cugnano, Vicenza, is currently one of the ucts and processes, but rather meets the newable energy. This is the starting point of the projects that al-
most important industrial companies in customer’s needs in all stages of collabora- low the Group to access the biomethane, hydrogen and Power-
Northeast Italy, with a global distribution tion, from technical assistance to mainte- to-Gas sectors. Lastly, in the second half of 2020, Pietro
network active in over 100 countries in all nance services, from logistics to communica- Fiorentini launched a complete assessment program of the sus-
continents. In the forefront of the develop- tion and information sharing. Also as a result tainability model based on ESG criteria (Environmental, Social,
ment of technologies and solutions in- of implementing this customer-centricity log- Governance), to fulfil the expectations of its customers and
creasingly oriented towards sustainability, ic, the Group boasts a solid clientele among stakeholders on socio-environmental and management respon-
renewable energies and digitalisation, Pie- natural gas transport and distribution compa- sibility issues, which is also reflected in the draft of this Sustain-
tro Fiorentini is the leader in Smart Metering nies, Oil & Gas companies, EPCs (Engineer- ability Report.
projects and, more generally, of Smart Grids. ing, Procurement & Construction), industrial
In recent years, work has also intensified to end-users and utilities.
WITH OVER 80 YEARS
OF EXPERIENCE,
PIETRO FIORENTINI
IS A GLOBAL LEADER AN ITALIAN
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS STORY
OF TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED THAT WAS ABLE
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR TO CONQUER
THE MULTI-GAS SYSTEM THE WORLD
12 13
PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
OUR HISTORY 1992
1957 2006
DIGITAL TIMES ARRIVE
With the acquisition of Digit Srl – a com-
pany that produces remote management
TOWARDS THE EAST and remote control systems – Pietro Fior-
A joint venture is established with Shanghai Aero- entini bets on the digitalisation of gas
space – a Chinese giant that entered the energy sec- metering systems, in view of a possible
tor in those years – after which Shanghai Fiorentini change in technology on millions of me-
was founded in 1996 – an independent company ters. This choice will prove to be suc-
held at 40% (today 45%) by Pietro Fiorentini, intend- cessful: to-date there are over 6 million
BEYOND BORDERS ed for the production of regulators and systems for
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
After moving to Vicenza in 1950, the Company smart meters produced by Pietro Fioren-
the Chinese and Far East markets. In recent years, tini for the European market alone.
made its first big commercial leap forward by
the Group also set up international branches in Eu-
signing an overseas production licence agree-
rope, Asia and South America.
ment with one of the world’s leading oil services
companies – Compagnie de Compteurs. In the
following years, the portfolio of products and ser-
vices expands with the offer of complete solutions
1940 and systems for gas reduction and metering.
2020
THE BEGINNING OF OUR
HISTORY
On 1 January 1940 the “Pietro Fiorentini
st
2001
Impianti Metano, Fabbrica Italiana Appar-
ecchi Carburatori per Gas Metano” was
founded in Bologna. In 1941, the Compa-
ny began producing systems to use meth-
THE BEGINNING OF THE LEAN
ane instead of normal fuel in combustion
TRANSFORMATION
1963
As the 2000s began together with the transition
engines, and the following year began sell-
into the third generation of the enterprise, led by
ing pressure regulators for gas cylinders.
Mario, Cristiano and Paolo Nardi, the organisa-
This was just the beginning of a history of
tional and productive transformation of the Com-
over 80 years full of successes and in- KEY WORD:
pany began with the gradual implementation of
creasingly ambitious goals. SUSTAINABILITY
innovative Lean Manufacturing models – a term
At the end of the 1910s, Pietro Fiorentini already
HANDOVER that was almost unheard of in our Country. The
had several projects related to the development
Following the demise of the founder, Pietro Fior- goal was to become increasingly “streamlined”
of renewable energies, such as biomethane, hy-
entini, his son-in-law, Tito Nardi, took over the by eliminating waste, freeing up resources and
drogen and power to gas, which were funda-
helm of the company and launched a complete directing efforts on creating value throughout a
mental solutions in the energy transition process.
production reorganisation. It is a historic moment process of continuous improvement. This pro-
Starting in September 2020, the Company
in Italian energy policy as Pietro Fiorentini was cess continues today and has led Pietro Fiorentini
launched a complete assessment program of the
one of Snam's key partners in the methanisation to become one of the international reference
sustainability model based on ESG criteria (Envi-
process in Northern Italy, which was accom- points in the application of this methodology.
ronmental, Social, Governance), to fulfil the ex-
plished thanks to the new import agreements pectations of its stakeholders on environmental,
stipulated with Libya, the USSR and Holland. social and management responsibility issues.
14 15PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
PRESENCE IN THE WORLD +30
SITES AROUND THE WORLD
The Pietro Fiorentini Group boasts a consoli- and sustainable world. As at 31 December
dated clientele of natural gas distribution and 2020, in addition to the main headquarters in
transportation companies, Oil & Gas compa- Arcugnano (Vicenza), the Group has about 30
nies, EPC companies, industrial end-users and other production and commercial offices in Italy
utilities, which acknowledge its absolute stand- and abroad, and employs about 2,000* collab-
ing in terms of quality, service and product orators around the world, with a distribution
and process innovation. The Group broad- network that reaches over 100 countries
ened its horizons via a process of expansion across all the continents. The Group gener-
and internationalisation, towards the develop- ates over 67% of its revenues within the bound-
ment of technologies and solutions for a digital aries of European Union.
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
+2,000*
COLLABORATORS
PRODUCTION SITES
IN ITALY
+100 • Arcugnano | Vicenza
COUNTRIES • Rosate | Milan
• Rescaldina | Milan
SERVED BY THE
Italian offices • Talamona | Sondrio
SALES NETWORK • Desenzano del Garda | Brescia
Overseas offices
• S.Vito al Tagliamento | Pordenone
* Value including employees and collaborators of the Group.
16 17PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
SOCIOGRAM*
Fiorentini Bangladesh
Fiorentini Hungary KFT Eurl Fiorentini Algerie Terranova Srl Fiorentini International BV
Ltd
Hungary Algeria Italy The Netherlands
Bangladesh
Fiorentini Deutschland
Pietro Fiorentini Inc Fiorentini Benelux BV Ambiente.It Srl
GMBH
USA The Netherlands Italy
Germany
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
Pietro Fiorentini Gemsat Gaz Ekipmanlari Multiphase Analytics
Tiv Valves Srl Terranova Shanghai Ltd Pietro Fiorentini S.A.
Mexicana de Servicios San. Ve Tic A.S. B.V B.V.
Italy China Argentina
Mexico Turkey The Netherlands
Fiorentini Gastechnik Fiorentini do Brazil Oil
Fiorentini Polska Spzoo Fiorentini UK LTD Terranova Central Asia Fiorentini Ghana Ltd
GMBH & Gas EIRELI
Poland GB Uzbekistan Ghana
Austria Brazil
Shanghai Fiorentini Gas Pietro Fiorentini India Pietro Fiorentini de
GAZFIO S.a.S Samgas Romania SrL Arcoda srl
Equipment LTD Ltd Mexico S.DE. R.L. DE C .V.
France Romania Italy
China India Mexico
Pietro Fiorentini
Fiorentini Tunisie Sarl. Talamona Srl Fio Gaz A.S. Kazakistan LLP
Tunisia Italy Turkey Kazakhstan
Fiorentini Amwage &
Services W.L.L.
Qatar
Subsidiaries Associates *Updated as at 31/12/2020
18 19PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
+20.3%
MAIN INCOME FIGURES CREATING VALUE
FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS: OF THE GENERATED
THE GENERATED AND
DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIC VALUE ECONOMIC VALUE
For Pietro Fiorentini, sustainability and creat-
ing value are strongly linked concepts: sus-
tainability creates value for the company
and for the stakeholders, thereby relating
the business and the corporate social re-
The Pietro Fiorentini Group achieved a consoli-
dated turnover of €398 million in 2020 – an in-
€398 mln sponsibility. The Group generates wealth
through its activities, which contributes di-
crease of approx. 21.2% compared to 2019. CONSOLIDATED rectly and indirectly to the economic growth
Despite a scenario in which the world economy TURNOVER
IN 2020
of the context that it operates in. This wealth 411,970
registered -3.5%, the European Union regis- is commonly measured in terms of Added
tered -5.1% and the Italian economy registered Value that is produced and distributed to its
+21.2%
-8.9%, the Group proved to be very resilient reference stakeholders.
also due to the reference sector of gas distribu- 342,594
tion and transport, which is highly regulated COMPARED The Value Added Statement is based on the
and anti-cyclical. TO 2019 GRI Standards, the reference framework and
68,006
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
PIETRO FIORENTINI: LEADING PLAYER IN CHANGE
the values drawn from the statutory Profit and
The net financial position improved signifi- Loss Account, thereby becoming a useful
cantly compared to the previous already posi- tool for all stakeholders to understand the
tive years, moving from an overall debt of economic impacts that the Group itself pro- 47,679
around Euro 34 million at the end of 2019 to a duces. The generated economic value in
positive position of around Euro 8 million at the 2020 was Euro 412 million, an increase of
end of 2020. This is mainly due to the increase about Euro 70 million compared to 2019
in liquidity of the subsidiaries and the invest-
ment in securities made by the Parent Compa-
€77.4 mln (+20%), 83% of which is distributed to the
stakeholders.
ny during 2020. EBITDA*
EBITDA increased by 43.5% compared to 2019,
reaching Euro 77.4 million*. Even the operating
income increased by about Euro 19 million com-
+43.5%
pared to 2019. In percentage terms, it stands at COMPARED
14% in 2020 against 11.4% in 2019. TO 2019 294,916 343,964
* In accordance with the computing practice
DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIC VALUE IN 2020 [k€] of the italian banking system. GENERATED AND DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIC VALUE [k€] 2019 2020
GENERATED ECONOMIC VALUE 342,594 411,970
29.1% DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIC VALUE 294,916 343,964
EMPLOYEES
OPERATING COSTS 196,602 228,831
VALUE DISTRIBUTED TO EMPLOYEES 84,723 100,193
VALUE DISTRIBUTED TO CAPITAL PROVIDERS 1,418 1,347
3.9%
PUBLIC VALUE DISTRIBUTED
ADMINISTRATION 12,112 13,492
TO THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
0.4% VALUE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY 60 100
CAPITAL WITHHELD ECONOMIC VALUE 47,679 68,006
66.5% PROVIDERS
SUPPLIERS
0.03%
COMMUNITY
20 21PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
2
OUR BUSINESS
AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT MODEL SUSTAIN
ABILITY
to innovate
24 OUR COMPASS, OUR VALUES
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
28 OUR SUPPLY CHAIN
30 AN INTEGRATED BUSINESS STRATEGY
32 THE QUALIFYING FACTORS OF OUR STRATEGY
1 10
INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS
Technology, innovation, research, CENTRE STARTED ON THE
planning, design and strategy: DEDICATED TO ENERGY TRANSITION
every aspect in Pietro Fiorentini HYDROGEN ISSUES
is subject to constant revision
and continuous improvements.
2.4% 6
The goal is to always put the customer INVESTMENTS IN PROJECTS LAUNCHED TO
and their needs at the centre of an RESEARCH & PROMOTE RENEWABLE
operational model that can optimally use DEVELOPMENT ENERGIES
flows and resources, to respond COMPARED TO
THE TURNOVER*
quickly, consistently and concretely,
thereby reducing costs and waste * with respect to turnover
of Pietro Fiorentini S.p.A.
to increase the value. PROGRAM BY
BORSA ITALIANA
22 23PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
OUR COMPASS,
OUR VALUES
TIN UOUS IMPROVEME
ON NT
C
VISION
Thanks to the experience matured throughout 80 years, the busi-
ness model of Pietro Fiorentini combines sustainability and in- We want to be the protagonists
novation to provide its customers with solutions and technolo- of the energy transition thanks to the synergy
gies along the entire value chain of the gas sector, from extraction
between technology and human capital
to end use. Today the Group is at the forefront of the ambi-
tious European goal of achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050,
G
integrating ESG factors into its business model.
GIN
A commitment that is implemented every day and that is possible OUR
PROMISES
ON
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
VALUES
ENT
thanks to increasing investments in Research & Development, TO THE
M PA N Y B E L
the launch of new partnerships and synergies in the sector and CUSTOMER PURPOSE
REPRENEURSHIP
above all, the work carried out every day by the human resources Reliability,
of Pietro Fiorentini. Customer Communication,
Technology
Centricity Excellence,
Following the adoption of the innovative Lean and solutions Commitment,
Management approach, which led to signifi-
MISSION Better for a digital Innovation,
OF CO
cant transformations in the production pro-
cess, in the hierarchical relationships and in performance and sustainable Teamwork,
the role of collaborators and Work teams, We operate internationally, with compared Respect,
stronger alignment was achieved between high-tech solutions for the energy to peers
world Sincerity
SE
top management strategy and management and utilities sectors, placing the
EN
objectives, allowing sustainable business customer at the centre of a highly
growth together with an increasingly ade-
S
efficient operating model,
quate response to market demand.
which can create sustainable value OPERATIONAL AND
It is precisely from this need for internal shar- STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
ing and the aim of achieving full transparen-
cy towards all the stakeholders that the SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost)
Company Compass1 was defined for the VISION People empowerment
first time in 2012, which guided the creation Local for local
of value of the Pietro Fiorentini Group and
brought together the corporate values, the
We want to be the protagonists
strategic objectives and the tools to pur- of sustainable development and
sue these objectives. This Compass, which responsible use of resources thanks S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
is the result of a process of constant compar- to the synergy between technology
ison and review, indicates that it is the pri- and human capital
mary purpose of the business, namely the
implementation of technologies and solu-
tions for a digital and sustainable world.
PURPOSE 1
Developed in Japan in the 60s by Bridgestone – this and “kanri” mean respectively “direction” and “adminis-
method has its roots in Management By Objectives and tration”) was formalised between 1981 and 1988 by the
Technologies and solutions Total Quality Management. The term “Hoshin Kanri”, that Japanese Association of Standards and brought to the
for a digital and sustainable world is “compass management” (the single words “hoshin” West by the writings of Yoji Akao.
24 25PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
RELIABILITY
The corporate culture of Pietro Fiorentini, We honour any undertaken commitments at
distinguished by shared values, including all times and within the established
those of honesty, respect and sharing, guides timeframe, thereby successfully meeting
the daily work among colleagues, as well as expectations to generate trust
the relationship with external stakeholders.
Collaborators are the first ambassadors of
these principles and from a more general per- COMMUNICATION
spective, of the corporate culture, giving their We ensure that the strategies, programs,
personal and professional contribution every objectives and information are conveyed in a
day in favour of a better world for customers transparent, precise and
and for future generations. understandable way, paying attention to
understand the point of view of the listener
In 2001, during a dedicated two-day meeting,
Owners, Managers, Cadres and representa-
tives of all company categories met to draft EXCELLENCE
the Values Sheet, which gathers the guide- We set ambitious objectives
lines intended to ensure the individual’s re- pertaining to continuous improvement,
spect towards the common good, thereby identifying the flow of value and organising
guaranteeing the achievement of objectives, the resources to reduce waste that hinders RELIABILITY COMMUNICATION
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
in an atmosphere of respect and trust. The its development
values, thus defined, were also studied in
depth and expressed in accordance with the
corporate context. The definition of the Val- COMMITMENT
ues Sheet constituted the first, indispensa- We show determination when analysing
ble step in the process of renewing the in- problems, proposing solutions and
EXCELLENCE COMMITMENT
ternal organisation, which started with the carrying out assignments, making the most
aim of strengthening the sense of belonging of every opportunity
to the Group and implementing the organi-
sational change in line with Lean Thinking
principles. The Values Sheet states the princi-
ples on which the entire structure of Pietro
INNOVATION
We pursue constant evolution by OUR VALUES
Fiorentini is based on. encouraging the search for new solutions,
without being content to follow
the easier path
INNOVATION TEAM
WORK
TEAMWORK
We involve and motivate colleagues
and collaborators, enhancing their ideas,
knowledge and skills with the aim of
continuously improving performance and RESPECT SINCERITY
SHARED VALUES results
AND PRINCIPLES RESPECT
TO RESPECT THE We accept and safeguard people’s dignity
and their work, with no distinction in gender,
INDIVIDUALS AS WELL race or origin, committing ourselves to
derive added value from diversity
AS THE COMMON
SINCERITY
WELL-BEING We demonstrate moral integrity,
professional honesty and fairness in
interpersonal relationships, courageously
supporting ideas and opinions
26 27PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
OUR SUPPLY CHAIN
GAS DISTRIBUTION GAS DISTRIBUTION
AT MEDIUM PRESSURE AT LOW PRESSURE
The Group supplies pressure regulators, Pietro Fiorentini offers a whole range of
valves and filters developed ad hoc for systems, pressure regulators, safety devices
the end user, as well as complete systems for flow regulation, meters and volume
to reduce, measure, filter and heat gas correctors to measure, specifically designed
to ensure that the fuel supply for industrial use, as well as services
is safe and continuous. Small/medium dedicated to alarm and data management.
Commercial
The Group also designs, builds, installs industry fixtures
and supervises distribution substations
HIGH PRESSURE GAS of natural gas.
TRANSPORT
The Group supplies the necessary tools Regassification
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
to guarantee the gas is transported correctly Residential
in all its stages, from gas liquefaction to fixtures
the dehydration plants, from the treatment Heavy
industry
and pressure adjustment that guarantee the
quality of the liquefied gas to the monitoring Gas
services to ensure the safety and correct motors
supply of the network. Second
Electric stage stations
LNG sea transport power plants
PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE GAS
First
Gas stage stations Pietro Fiorentini has developed
liquefaction
Biremi Power-to-gas systems that use renewable
Diesel fuel energy to facilitate energy storage and
storage
Compression scheduling of use. This is supported
Extraction on land stations by Power-to-hydrogen, which uses
the electrolysis process to generate
hydrogen.
Floating Power-to-gas and
units methanation
Gas storage Power-to
Gas processing hydrogen
Extraction on
platform
Hydrogen distribution
EXTRACTION OF OIL networks
AND NATURAL GAS Biomethane
production
Pietro Fiorentini manages the gas supply CO2
Subsea
chain from the early stages, within the scope extraction capturing
of the solutions offered for offshore
wellheads, starting from subsea extraction,
which requires compliance with strict safety
requirements with the aim of preserving the
surrounding environment (particularly NATURAL GAS BIOMETHANE LOW PRESSURE GAS
water resources, such as seas and lakes), HIGH PRESSURE GAS CARBON DIOXIDE
OIL
up to the management of the physical
and chemical separations, gas softening HYDROGEN MEDIUM PRESSURE GAS LIQUID GAS
and filtering.
28 29PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
AN INTEGRATED M&A
BUSINESS STRATEGY ENERGY TRANSITION
LOCAL-FOR-LOCAL
The definition of the corporate Compass ments and consequently, an increase in the better and better to the challenges presented by digitalisation
represents the starting point in identifying demand for components (regulators, meters, and the energy transition.
the business strategy of Pietro Fiorentini, etc.) and related services.
which focuses on the medium-long term The strategic acquisitions process follows precise growth driv-
horizon with the aim of generating value Pietro Fiorentini bases its strategy on the 3D ers, which, besides the increasing desire to position itself as a
along the entire supply chain and for all the paradigm – Digitisation, Decarbonisation solution provider and to access complementary sectors to its
stakeholders, both internal and external. At and Decentralisation and the integration of core business, the key is the criterion of geographical expansion
the core of the Group's strategic objec- which is fundamental to pursue the European based on the “local-for-local” principle. In fact, the goal is to
tives lies the will to carry out its role in goal of climate neutrality by 2050 with inter- provide products and services locally, thereby responding to the
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
favour of sustainable growth, thereby en- mediate milestones by 2030. demands and particular features of every end market and ensur-
suring a supply of clean energy for busi- ing greater sustainability also from an environmental perspective.
nesses and end users.
Growth in external lines, together with the great contribution of
And this is the precise intention with which internal R&D activities, play a fundamental role for Pietro Fioren-
the Group decided to integrate its business
objectives with a few key ESG targets (en-
DIGITISATION tini's business model, which can thus guide the technological
evolution from the analogue measurement of gas flows to that of
vironmental, social and governance) and to
pursue the more ambitious objectives related
DECARBONISATION remote reading and remote management of the meters, thereby
ensuring its customers increasingly digital and sustainable solu-
to the energy transition and contrast to cli-
mate change, in line with the provisions of DECENTRALISATION tions.
the European Green Deal and the Paris However, the M&A Plan finds its foundations in the internal reor-
Agreements. ganisation process, which is implemented according to the prin-
ciples of Lean Management, without which the Group would not
In fact, the Group’s strategic vision cannot In recent years, the key innovation and sus- have been able to achieve the necessary levers of economic
disregard the reference context and the tainability projects of the Group have there- growth to generate such an acquisition and integration process.
evolution of certain market trends that could fore been oriented in this direction, from
increasingly have an impact on the business. Smart Metering to replace tens of millions of
In particular, gas consumption is expected to new generation meters, to the development
continue to increase globally until 2037, and of integrated (energy-gas, by several produc-
that even after that date, it will remain a wide- tion entities) and interconnected (Inter-
ly used source of energy. Contrarily, coal and net-of-Things and management and continu-
oil will drop, much more negative than gas in ous monitoring systems) intelligent gas
environmental terms, in favour of an increas- distribution networks (so-called Smart
ing overall use of renewable energy, especial- Grids).
ly in the more advanced countries2. The ener-
gy transition represents a challenge in The Group's strategic vision also includes a
which the energy mix and more specifically, Mergers & Acquisitions Plan (M&A), the ulti-
gas production from unconventional and mate goal of which is to enter new markets
renewable sources and its use for energy to expand the range of products and services
storage will require infrastructure invest- to be offered to customers and to respond
2
Source: Global gas outlook to 2050 by McKinsey
30 31PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
THE QUALIFYING FACTORS
OF OUR STRATEGY
Pietro Fiorentini's strategy is primarily pivotal on those defined LEAN & AGILE
as the Group's “enabling levers”, namely:
Pietro Fiorentini implements every project, product or service
with the aim of creating the maximum possible value for its
customers. The quality of the product and service offered has
always been a guiding criterion at the basis of the business but,
CUSTOMER to increasingly pursue competitive growth and performance, in
CENTRICITY the early 2000s, the Group launched an internal reorganisation
process, which was consistent with Lean Production3 principles
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
and the so-called Kaizen techniques (the word Kaizen derives
LEAN from the two Japanese terms Kai, which means change, and
& AGILE Zen, which means better, being joined and this was coined in
1986 by the Japanese economist, Masaaki Imai).
By adopting this methodology, Pietro Fiorentini was able to form
part of the first industrial companies at international level, within
INNOVATION AND
a short time, and to be considered a best practice, thereby ob-
SUSTAINABILITY
taining awards from some of the greatest experts in the field,
such as Mike Rother, James Womack and Arnaldo Camuffo, who
defined the Company as The Toyota of Italy.
The Lean structuring allowed the Group to respond in an ex-
tremely reactive way to the challenges set forth by the new sce-
CUSTOMER CENTRICITY nario, distinguished by increasing digitisation and the evolution
of the product as a service, with increasing attention paid to the
Pietro Fiorentini has always set customer centrality as the ena- user experience. In this framework – in which there are many var-
bling factor of their medium-long term strategy. The context iables that could impact the entire value chain – the Group has
in which the Group operates in the 2000s is increasingly com- seen its business model evolve further, combining the typical ef-
plex, distinguished by greater attention paid to the issues con- ficiency of the lean model with the Agile methodology.
cerning energy transition, by an intense digital transformation
process, by the shift in focus from the product to the service: The Lean and Agile systems complement and reinforce each oth-
these are changes that require the Group to make another change er with the aim of optimising the processes and ensuring con-
in line with the aim of improving its competitiveness and respond stant comparison, thereby pursuing the best quality and cus-
more and more effectively to the medium-long term objectives of tomer satisfaction performances. The Group's strategic vision
its customers. Pietro Fiorentini introduced a new Customer Re- for the next few years is based on these foundations.
lationship Management platform in 2019, which was accompa-
nied by a remodelling process of the internal organisation. In par-
ticular, an internal department was promoted – that of Industrial
Marketing – in charge of analysing the needs and expectations
of the customers and markets, to then act as a trait d'union be- 3
The story of Lean Production was officially defined for the first time in the
tween the sales structure and the Research & Development de- publication: The Machine that Changed the World, written in 1991 by James P.
partment. Organisational remodelling allowed the customer’s Womack, Daniel T. Jones and Daniel Roos, which highlights the huge gap in pro-
ductivity between American and Japanese auto assembly plants, in particular
needs to be considered in a more and more effective way and transforming the production model of Taiichi Ohno's Toyota into an organisation-
from an increasingly medium-long term perspective. al approach that can be applied to various business contexts.
32 33PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY
Innovation and sustainability – two words that have always
guided Pietro Fiorentini's way of doing business and that enable
the path towards the energy transition. The Group supports cus-
tomer centrality with general community responsibility, inte-
grating the ESG aspects (Environmental, Social, Governance) in
the business. This responsibility is established in an obligation
that goes beyond regulatory compliance and that aims toward
ever-increasing commitment and identification of specific objec-
tives aimed at investing in people, environmental protection
and transparency. This is also possible thanks to the adaptation The Research and Development area of Pietro Fiorentini, officially launched
of its range, which is not only limited to the supply of products, in 2016, is proceeding at full speed thanks to the activities carried out by the
systems and services, but which aims at the development and various business divisions and the work carried out in synergy with various
implementation of technologies and solutions for a digital and universities in Italy and abroad.
sustainable world, with particular attention paid to projects relat-
ed to renewable energies. Our company now boasts of a range of products, which distinguishes us in
the market. 2020 in particular was a successful year, full of new projects
The ultimate objective is to help make the most of our planet's and experiments. We launched the micro turbine TG2 on the market – an
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
resources and create a future in which all stakeholders and par- electricity generator to be installed in by-pass to the main gas lines, which can
ticularly the new generations can grow and thrive. Especially in generate energy 24/7 while the station feeds the grid.
recent years, the projects related to sustainability and energy
transition have been focused on product innovation: these in- We are also at the forefront with various projects aimed at enhancing corpo-
clude projects, which are basic for Pietro Fiorentini, which con- rate know-how in the field of green energy, particularly hydrogen, which is a
cern experimentation with the following: topic that is more relevant than ever in the context of progressive decarboni-
sation. A new R&D laboratory dedicated exclusively to projects related to
CLAUDIO hydrogen and “future networks” will be set up at the Arcugnano Headquar-
IMBOCCIOLI ters in 2021. In this regard, the Electronics & Embedded Systems team is
Research working on several products in collaboration with the Advanced Technolo-
BIOMETHANE & Development gies team.
Manager
The revolutionary smart meter for the Hy4Heat project is particularly signif-
icant, which is a program with which the UK wishes to verify whether it is
feasible and convenient to replace natural gas with hydrogen in commercial
and residential buildings. We have also created qualified samples for pres-
sure regulators, pipes and valves that are also intended to be used in 100%
hydrogen networks.
POWER-TO-GAS
Our Misura team is also very active in experimentation and design and in
fact, the new industrial ultrasonic meter has been launched for the gas
transport networks and is currently involved in the development of household
meters with ultrasonic technology.
H2 HYDROGEN
SMART GAS GRID
34 35PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
BIOMETHANE
Turning waste into resource
The project carried out between 2019 and 2020 by Tonel-
lo Energie and Pietro Fiorentini is acknowledged as one
of the most important projects at European level on inte-
grated upgrading technology for the production of bi-
omethane from sewage sludge. Despite the very tight
deadlines and the difficulties presented by the Covid-19
emergency, the synergy between these two companies al-
lowed the design and construction of an integrated up-
Pietro Fiorentini offers integrated services pression, regulation and possibly Pietro Fiorentini grading and injection system of the SMAT Group to be
that range from treatment and conversion odorisation) to then be used in the automo- and Tonello Energie set up at the purification site in Castiglione Torinese.
of raw biogas up to the injection of the bi- tive sector.
omethane into the network, thereby allow- together for the The plant consists of two 900 Nm3/h complete biogas pu-
ing the customer's needs to be followed in all The technological solutions are also support- upgrading and injection rification lines (with the set-up of a third line for a total
stages. Thanks to its integrated upgrading ed by remote supervision and remote con- potential of 2,700 Nm3/h) and it recovers and treats the
system with membrane permeation, called trol services, aimed at predictive mainte-
plant of biomethane biogas generated by the anaerobic digestion of sew-
FioGrade, the Group can pre-treat the bio- nance and data analysis, and by a of the SMAT Group age sludge.
gas, separating it from the CO2 and convert it maintenance schedule, which includes in-
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
into biomethane, with a separation efficiency spection and metrological checks and opera- The upgrading and injection system are associated with
that exceeds 99.5%. tional maintenance, up to the running of the services dedicated to the supervision and control of the
Lastly, thanks to the injection system Fiog- plant itself. entire plant and its integration with existing systems, so as
rid, the biomethane is processed in differ- to take care of every stage of the project.
ent steps (quality analysis, metering, com-
Biomethane is a key element to achieve the European objective of climate
neutrality by 2050 because it is a renewable energy source that is considered
1,800 nm3/h 2,700 nm3/h
neutral, i.e. obtained from the digestion of agricultural biomass (dedicated TOTAL BIOGAS FLOW POTENTIAL BIOGAS FLOW RATE
crops, agricultural by-products and waste and animal waste) and agro-busi- RATE
nesses (waste from the processing of the food chain) and organic fraction of
solid urban waste (OFSUW). 99.5% 12 barg
BIOMETHANE RECOVERY INJECTION PRESSURE
In fact, biomethane is obtained from biogas and once it undergoes the upgrad-
ing process, i.e. it is refined (removal of carbon dioxide in several stages, by
means of a molecular separation process), it can reach methane concentration
that is equal to or greater than 97% (raw biogas consists of a percentage of
methane that ranges from 50 to 70%): this upgrading process allows it to be
used for distribution in the network and/or as a biofuel for motor vehicles.
BIOGAS
Gas network Transport
UPGRADING
BIOMETHANE
Animal manure
Dedicated crops
Agricultural
by-products.....
OFMSW BIOGAS Electricity grid
PLANT
+-
ELECTRICITY
CROPS DIGESTATE BIOGAS COGENERATOR
High quality agricultural fertiliser
District heating
Fuel Biogas production Biogas energy HEAT
36 37PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
POWER- Besides allowing an increasingly accessible distribution of sustainable elec-
tricity, the sun and wind are revolutionising the dynamics of the markets. Man-
aging the production of electricity based on consumption is an outdated par-
TO-GAS
adigm: the current requirement is to obtain as much energy as possible when
the renewable sources are available, organising green electrons in space and
time.
The answer to this requirement is Power-to-gas (P2G) technology, which
Enabling the transition converts the surplus electricity into green molecules that can be transported
over long distances at low cost with less and less significant losses. At the
same time, it allows stored seasonal renewable energy to be available.
The Group's commitment to decarbonisation Today, Power-to-gas represents one of the
and its extensive experience in the gas sup- most promising technologies to facilitate the
ply chain has allowed Pietro Fiorentini to be energy transition and respect the Green Deal
at the forefront of strengthening the energy signed by the European Union, which re-
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
infrastructure with the aim of overcoming the quires the elimination of net greenhouse gas RENEWABLE TRANSPORT
technological constraints that limit the intro- emissions by 2050, with extremely challeng- ENERGIES PROCESSES & STORAGE USERS
duction of green gas. Pietro Fiorentini's Pow- ing milestones by 2030. In fact, it will be pos-
er-to-methane solutions balance this effort, sible to make large quantities of energy wide- Transport
making the green gas produced fully compat- ly available by using the existing gas
ible with the reference infrastructure from the infrastructures. A journey towards de-fossil- Electrolysis Methanation CO Industry
H
2
CH
outset. ised and decarbonised gas systems inserted
+- 2 4
Buildings
In addition to traditional catalytic methana- in energy infrastructures that will be holistic, Electrolyser
Power
tion technologies, the Group recently en- in accordance with Pietro Fiorentini's vision.
riched its range with the acquisition of Micro- Therefore, not only gas treatment plants and
Pyros BioEnerTec, a German start-up that technologies, but also projects that can in-
operates in the sector of biotechnologies ap- clude all the necessary solutions to obtain the
plied in the energy field, in particular for that resilience of the systems in a single environ-
which concerns biological methanation, an ment and fulfil the new requirements to bal- Grid
ideal alternative to fulfil the production re- ance energy demand and supply.
quirements of small-medium sized renewa-
bles.
Power-to-gas technology exploits the phenomenon of electrolysis: excess
energy from wind farms, photovoltaic fields or from congestion of the electri-
cal infrastructure is used to break the bonds of water molecules and produce
hydrogen. In fact, renewables are intermittent by nature and may require ex-
pensive batteries for energy storage (to be made available based on actual
consumption).
On the contrary, the conversion of renewable energy into gas, allows the
existing (and moreover extremely extensive) gas distribution and transmission
infrastructures to be exploited, moving towards the definition of fully decar-
bonised and de-fossilised systems.
38 39PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
H2 HYDROGEN
The energy of the future
Pietro Fiorentini's journey towards hydrogen begins with
the Hy4Heat project, which aims to verify the safety and
technical-economic feasibility of replacing methane gas
with 100% hydrogen in commercial and residential build-
ings in the UK. Participation in this project represented a
great opportunity to acquire know-how in the green energy
field and to confirm the Group's presence in the nascent
hydrogen market.
The commitment to the energy transition is This is the great challenge of Power-to-Hy- The hydrogen-journey
increasingly based on that defined as the drogen (P2H): to achieve this ambitious ob- As from the beginning of 2020, Pietro Fiorentini also
clean energy of the future, namely hydrogen. jective, accurate studies and tests are need- of Pietro Fiorentini launched significant synergies in Italy: together with the
Pietro Fiorentini aims to play a leadership ed to fully understand its impacts, as well as Polytechnic University of Milan, the Group deepens ma-
role, thanks to the development of a number continuous investment in R&D to identify terial compatibility, combining the bibliographic study with
of innovative technological solutions to ex- technologies that are sustainable, reliable tests. Pietro Fiorentini also participates in the most impor-
ploit this green resource, overcoming current and safe. Furthermore, the ability to network, tant Italian working groups in the hydrogen field, such as
limits and increasing the mixing percentage to bring skills, expertise and experimentation H2IT – Italian Association of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells,
up to 100%. together, is crucial along this path. Confindustria (Italian Association of industries) and
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
CIG (Italian Gas Committee), committed to promoting
the development and study of disciplines related to tech-
nologies and systems for the production and use of hydro-
gen, thereby encouraging a continuous exchange with the
stakeholders along the entire supply chain and also sup-
Hydrogen is an energy vector, which can play a decisive role in achieving the am- porting government bodies in defining enabling policies
bitious decarbonisation goals of the European Green Deal. In fact, as part of what for the energy transition.
has been called “Strategy for energy from hydrogen”, the above entails a Plan The Group was then awarded another tender, part of H21
of significant investments aimed at an annual production capacity of hydrogen – a Program financed by Ofgem (The government regula-
from renewable sources of one million tonnes by 2024, with the aim of reaching tor for gas and electricity markets in Great Britain) and led
10 million by 2030. by the Northern Gas Networks, which brings together all
the British gas networks and therefore, also the best ex-
In fact, hydrogen has some fundamental characteristics that make it the pertise and skills.
best possible ally for the energy transition: primarily, it is an energy vector
that does not generate polluting emissions in its final uses (its combustion The new innovation centre, completely dedicated to the
does not emit carbon dioxide, but water in the form of steam); it is also much study of projects related to hydrogen, will allow Pietro Fior-
easier to store and transport than electricity and therefore, natural gas pipes entini to speed up the process of experimenting with prod-
can be used. Unlike the latter, however, its interaction with materials changes: ucts and new technologies, creating a pole of excellence
at the moment, in fact, hydrogen can be introduced and mixed in the natural for the national territory, which also wants to be a training
gas distribution network only up to certain thresholds. and information point for the community.
Last but not least, Pietro Fiorentini signed the declaration
of intent of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance,
which brings together companies, national and local pub-
SYNTHETIC HYDROCARBONS lic authorities and all the stakeholders involved in an alli-
ance in favour of clean hydrogen, with the aim of contrib-
STEAM METHANE REFORMING FISHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS uting to a solid investment pipeline and expansion of the
NATURAL GAS OIL AUTOTHERMAL REFORMING METHANOL SYNTHESIS CO2
PARTIAL OXIDATION METHANATION hydrogen value chain throughout Europe. This network will
play a decisive role in the definition and implementation of
COAL COAL GASIFICATION HYDROGEN the actions set forth by the European Hydrogen Strategy,
with particular focus on investments.
BIOMASS BIOMASS GASIFICATION HABER-BOSH SYNTHESIS N2
ELECTRICITY ELECTROLYSIS AMMONIA
40 41PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PIETRO FIORENTINI | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
SMART GAS GRID
Smart network for gas distribution
Smart Grids are systems that can optimise energy distribution, helping to
pursue the targets of the energy transition and sustainable development.
In fact, implementing Smart Grids means:
– optimise the flows, enhancing the technologies that make it possible to
exchange data and information between the various nodes;
– reconsider the role of the end consumer, who is no longer a passive user
but who takes on the role of producer of the energy itself, for example via
Active systems that integrate different types of that are suitable to manage flows that derive photovoltaic systems (from which the prosumer concept derives) and in-
energies and make decisions autonomously from sources with different characteristics, former, helping to plan efficient use of the network and avoiding power
to optimise energy distribution. Smart Grids such as hydrogen and biomethane, and peaks and production excess;
are an ambitious project thanks to which, ener- which come from multiple and decentralised – maximise safety and reduce consumption, thanks to the reduction and
gy will be distributed through networks in the production sites. The scenario that lies ahead zeroing of losses and waste;
very near future, which are capable of manag- is very complex and requires systems that – set up a distribution system from oligarchic to decentralised, in which
ing and instantly regulating multiple, discon- can absorb local production and maintain the the points of production and consumption come close (almost overlapping
tinuous and bidirectional flows. balance and structure of the entire network. in some cases), thereby helping to reduce losses along the long transmission
For years, Pietro Fiorentini has been working on Therefore, Pietro Fiorentini has designed and backbones.
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
OUR BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
defining new systems for the digitalisation developed BiRemi™ – the primary bidirec-
and sustainability of natural gas networks to tional station that can maximise the ca-
ensure flexibility in flow management and main- pacity of the distribution network to re-
tain balance in decentralised networks and with ceive gas produced from renewable
bidirectional flows. sources through the reinjection of any over-
Creating intelligent and sustainable grids for production on the transmission network.
gas distribution means drawing up solutions
Wind Power
The LIFE 13 Green Gas Network project, set up in collaboration with RetiPiù
and Terranova, represents a concrete example of how to ensure an intelligent Electrolyser Methanation
and flexible network, which can guarantee and self-regulate pressure accord-
+-
ing to the requirements of the end utilities, for functional optimisation in terms
of reducing losses and the relevant emissions.
CO2
Three fundamental aspects of the project:
Biogas &
– Environmental sustainability: via the objective of reducing emissions re- H2 ICT Biomethane
sulting from gas leaks by at least 3%; Solar Panels +-
– Innovation: with the development and testing of a new management and
CNG
control system to regulate pressure levels; Electrolyser
Natural Gas
– Resilience: thanks to the pressure of the various sectors being optimised at
CNG LNG
every moment, based on the operating data collected and processed in real
ICT
time.
LNG Municipal Waste /
Biomass
GA
The application of the tools and the actions in the field have shown that it is
S
possible to operate a distribution network in compliance with the highest
&
EL
safety standards for the end users, while reducing CO2 emissions in the
EC Gasification
Gas Turbine
TR
ICITY
atmosphere (main objective of the project) through adequate regulation of the
pressures, guaranteed by the applied Smart Grid digitisation component.
LIFE 13 Green Gas Network has been nominated among the finalists for the
Climate Change category of the LIFE Awards 2019, the tool with which the
European Union supports the Authorities to protect the climate and the envi-
Fuel Cells
ronment.
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