EU climate targets require businesses to undertake rather complex industrial decarbonisation. This radical transformation in the way companies manufacture products and consume energy necessitates the expertise of those who, like Hera Group, have for a long time been committed to promoting the energy transition and the circular economy. To find out more about the decarbonisation targets and solutions offered by the Bologna-based multiutility, which provides energy, water, and environmental services to over 4 million people, Renewable Matter interviewed Hera Comm CEO Isabella Malagoli.

For individual businesses, decarbonising operations and transitioning towards more circular processes can represent great challenges. How can Hera Group’s expertise provide support for these companies?

It is not easy for businesses to decarbonise their operations: there are multiple areas and different instruments that can be beneficial. How should priorities be identified? Is it better to start with energy efficiency by reducing consumption? Or with the installation of a solar power system to gain increased energy autonomy? Thanks to its vast experience gained in the fields of environmental, energy, and water sustainability, we offer our clients a rich portfolio of tailored solutions that make the decarbonisation process more agile and effective.

What types of solutions and services do you offer?

Hera Business Solution is our multi-service offer that allows businesses access to a single, reliable point of contact, to achieve well-performing outcomes, reducing management costs wherever possible and focusing on regenerating resources, extending the life cycle of goods, and using materials efficiently. Hera Group has always pursued sustainability-based industrial strategies in all sectors. Thus, we decided to also make our know-how available to client companies: from the installation of solar plants to the reduction of energy use, all the way to waste enhancement through the production of biomethane. In short, we offer a 360-degree range of integrated, circular, and ready-to-use solutions designed with the complexity of individual companies’ needs in mind. These services will then be accompanied by digital solutions, innovative data strategies, and artificial intelligence technologies. The aim is to make processes more efficient and customise our clients’ experience.

Hera Group has also confirmed its focus on decarbonisation within its Business Plan to 2027. What commitments has the utility made to promote the green transition, also in terms of investments?

Decarbonisation is at the heart of Hera Group’s business plan for the five years between 2023 and 2027. Of the approximately 4.4 billion euros earmarked for accelerating the green transition and increasing the resilience of networks and systems, approximately 60% will be spent on decarbonisation and circular economy.
In the plan, we confirm the ambitious goal of reducing carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 37% by 2030, relating to both the Group’s emissions and those of our clients. A 29% reduction is already projected for 2027. This target has already been certified by the prestigious international Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi).
Furthermore, we forecast that the goal of increasing the amount of renewable electricity to 50% of total electricity sales will be reached 3 years earlier (in 2027).

And in terms of solar power?

Photovoltaic (PV) solar power is a key asset for us. By 2027, we plan to install approximately 300 megawatts, prioritising solutions that do not necessitate further land use, such as Renewable Energy Communities (Comunità Energetiche Rinnovabili), agrivoltaic, and the creation of solar power plants in disused areas. In particular, thanks to some important partnerships, we have acquired new technical expertise in the PV market, extending our solutions portfolio for business clients to better respond to the growing demand for renewable energy plant-engineering solutions.

The liberalisation of the electricity retail market is now complete. What results has Hera Comm achieved?

Hera Group has consolidated its third-place position among Italy’s energy providers, with over 1 million new electricity users joining from the 1st of July. The successful tender bids for 7 lots of the Gradual Protections Service (Servizio a Tutele Graduali, which helps customers transition from the protected to the free market, editor’s note) for non-vulnerable domestic clients have been added to the latest tenders won by the Group on the markets of last resort. On the free market, we offer our clients the guarantee of certified renewable electricity supply and the offsetting of greenhouse gas emissions derived from natural gas consumption.

This article is also available in Italian / Questo articolo è disponibile anche in italiano

Images: Hera Group. Cover image: Isabella Malagoli

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