The document will call for the development of the country’s NGV industry, and several suggestions about the content of this letter were already presented. “We will write it in the next days, with all the components of natural gas vehicle sector in Italy,” Cappellato explained.

Michele Ziosi, director of NGV System Italia Association, was one of the main speakers at the Italian Session, and also called for a rapprochement with the government. “It is necessary to build permanent round-table meetings with the Ministries of Economic Development and of Environment aiming to boost the development of Italian NGV sector,” he said.

“Besides the current excise reduction, the government should evaluate a permanent incentive for NGVs, related to the social advantage of this fuel,” proposed Gian Primo Quaglino, president of Econometrica and Centro Studi Promotor, who also took part of the session.

Moreover, Flavio Mariani of the NGV Development Office of Eni Gas&Power highlighted: “The government often seems to favor electric vehicles, while we could take advantage of huge natural gas fields and it also has a renewable source with biogas.”

“Italian NGV industry is leader all over the world, but our politicians are not informed about this,” added Corrado Stolchi, External Relations Manager of Landi Renzo Group, other of the different voices of the NGV-related companies operational in Italy.

Europe bets on LNG

The number of LNG import terminals is experiencing a big growth in Europe. There are currently 21 terminals producing a total of 190 billion m3 per year. “But in 2012, the European terminals will achieve 282 billion of m³,” said Gianluca Bolzoni, member of the Gas LNG Europe (GLE) Association and responsible for the Italian terminal in La Spezia, during the Italian Session.

Now, there are three terminals being enhanced, while other six new are under construction. In turn, other eleven facilities are expected to be upgraded and 28 to be built. “The next Italian terminal that will become operative should be the off-shore one in Livorno,” said Bolzoni, adding that it will have a capacity of 3.7 billion m³ per year.

Italy ranks first with LNG projects: besides two terminals already in operation in La Spezia and in Rovigo (managed by GNL Italy and Adriatic LNG respectively), it has other eight under project (five located in the southern regions).

It is worth to mention that the industry will further LNG lectures at the next “LNG 4 Trucks & Ships Workshop,” an event of NGVA Europe, that will be held in Amsterdam between September 19 and 21.