Italy's Snam to Develop Small-, Mid-Scale Liquefaction Plants
Italian gas transmission operator Snam announced on March 10 a partnership with local chemicals group Siad to develop small- and medium-scale plants to liquefy natural gas and biogas.
The capacities of the small-scale plants will range from 50,000 to 100,000 metric tons/year, while the medium-sized facilities will be capable of producing upwards of 200,000 mt/yr of LNG. They will use Italian technology, based on an energy-optimised cryogenic nitrogen cycle, Snam said. Savings compared with conventional solutions can amount to 30% of the cost of the plant, it said.
The pair plan to launch a project this year in Campania in southwest Italy for a 50,000-mt/yr plant, which has already obtained EU funding. The plants will be operated by Snam, and provide LNG and bio-LNG to other south Italian regions, shortening the supply chain.
LNG is growing in popularity as a fuel choice for trucks in Italy. According to Snam, there are now about 3,000 LNG-fuelled trucks on the road, serviced by 90 filling stations, compared with less than 100 vehicles five years ago.
"With this agreement, Snam is entering the liquefaction infrastructure sector, which will be key to enable sustainable mobility by road, rail and potentially sea, as well as decarbonising other energy uses," CEO Marco Alvera said in a statement. "LNG, especially in its 'bio' version, makes it possible to reduce both polluting and CO2 emissions, making a decisive contribution to air quality and the fight against climate change, and to boosting the circular economy, optimising the management of the waste cycle and agricultural and food waste."