GAIL (India) Ltd., who has relinquished the charge upon completion of the two-year Chairmanship tenure of IGL by GAIL (India) Ltd. Arun Kumar Singh, a Mechanical Engineer from NIT Patna (formerly BCE, Patna), is Director (Marketing), BPCL apart from holding additional charge of Director (Refineries) in the company. He is also a Director on the Board of Bharat Gas Resources Ltd, a wholly owned Subsidiary of BPCL engaged in Natural Gas business. Additionally, he is on the Board of Bharat Oman Refineries Limited, a Subsidiary of BPCL engaged in Refining business. He is also serving on the Board of Petronet LNG Ltd, a listed company on Indian bourses. He had earlier held the position of Chairman, IGL from October 2018 to January 2019. Singh has headed various Business Units and Entities in BPCL viz. Retail, LPG, Pipelines, Supply Chain Optimization, etc. and has experience of over 35 years. He has also held the position of President (Africa & Australasia) in Bharat PetroResources Ltd., a wholly owned Subsidiary of BPCL engaged in exploration of Oil & Gas, largely overseas. IGL, a joint venture of GAIL (India) Ltd. and BPCL along with the Govt. of NCT of Delhi is the largest Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) distribution company of the country, supplying CNG and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in the National Capital Territory of Delhi alongwith Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar & Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh and Gurugram, Rewari, Karnal & Kaithal in Haryana.

https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/arun-kumar-singh-takes-over-as-chairman-of-indraprastha-gas-ltd

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real-time passenger information system (PIS), intelligent transport management system (ITMS), automatic bus vehicle location system and CCTV cameras, among others, in the coming financial year, JBM Auto said in a statement. “… these buses are expected to cater to 50 million passengers per annum, covering around 20 routes across Delhi,” it added. The buses also have features like electronic braking system, public address system and kneeling mechanism, wherein the bus kneels 60 mm towards the passengers’ door side to facilitate boarding and alighting of senior citizens, children and the specially-abled. For drivers, the ergonomically-designed dashboard provides an intuitive and user-friendly system that allows drivers to concentrate on driving without distractions which makes it a truly global product, it added. “IndianOil’s R&D Centre had developed a patented compact reforming process for H-CNG production directly from natural gas. The technology has been successfully proved for its benefits concerning emissions, mileage and durability through extensive studies at a demonstration unit installed at its Faridabad campus.” Besides, the company cited recent studies conducted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, which have confirmed that 18 per cent H-CNG as fuel ensures 70 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide and 25 per cent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions in heavy-duty BS-IV engines as compared to baseline CNG, besides increasing fuel economy by 4 to 5 per cent.

https://www.news18.com/news/auto/jbm-auto-to-supply-dtc-with-700-bs-vi-compliant-ac-low-floor-cng-buses-3315854.html

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The Corporation conducted a meeting with various line agencies to implement the project. The civic body will collect a track rent of ₹9,400 per km for the pipeline. A committee has been constituted with the Commissioner as the head. Another executive committee has been constituted, with the Deputy Commissioner (Works) at its head, to provide permissions for road cuts. The permissions will be issued after studying traffic congestion on each road. Sources in Torrent Gas Pvt. Ltd., said the lines would be laid at a depth of 1.2 m and inside a chamber-like structure and the gas, a non-combustible one, would be passed at a reduced pressure. “We are now seeking permissions for laying the main lines. These would initially run from nearby petrol bunks and later be be connected to the bigger network,” the official said. The company will pay the Corporation ₹20 lakh as restoration charges for every 1 km of road cut for bituminous roads and ₹21.75 lakh for restoring 1 km of cement concrete roads. The cost of shifting any utilities will be borne by the firm. The estimated cost for Chennai and Tiruvallur alone is ₹5,000 crore.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/torrent-gas-seeks-nod-to-lay-natural-gas-pipelines-in-chennai/article33596422.ece

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“From earnings’ standpoint MGL has been expanding their margins consistently. There were apprehensions with expected change in regulatory framework but the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board’s (PNGRB) decision which came about a couple of months ago has eased out those concerns.” Hence, the margins that Mahanagar Gas has been able to expand is more sustainable, he added. Indraprastha Gas (IGL) and Gujarat Gas, from delivery perspective, may also show decent set of numbers but valuations already pricing in earnings expectations, Lakhotia further noted.

https://www.cnbctv18.com/videos/market/stocks/kotak-institutional-equities-prefers-mahanagar-gas-in-the-oil–gas-space-heres-why-8033751.htm

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the biggest being the government of India. In a stock exchange filing, the company said its board has approved the buyback of 6.97 crore shares at a price of Rs 150 per share. The shares being bought represent 1.55 per cent of the total number of fully paid-up equity shares. The company board also declared an interim dividend of 25% (Rs 2.50 per share) for financial year 2020-21. GAIL stock was down 2.2% on the BSE and was trading at Rs 140.75 at 14.15 Hrs. The government owns 51.76 per cent of GAIL and is expected to participate in the share buyback. It stands to get Rs 583.6 crore from the dividend payout and another Rs 541.5 crore if it participates in the buyback by tendering a proportionate number of shares. The buyback plan of Rs 1,046.35 crore represents “2.5% and 2.26% of the aggregate of the fully paid-up equity share capital and free reserves of the company,” GAIL said in the filing. The plan was within the statutory limits of 10%, it said. The record date for buyback of equity shares as well as payment of the interim dividend will be January 28, GAIL said. The government has asked at least eight state-run companies to consider share buybacks as it scours for ways of raising funds to rein in its fiscal deficit. A buyback, also known as a share repurchase, is when a company buys its own outstanding shares to reduce the number of shares available in the open market. Companies buy back shares for a number of reasons, such as to increase the value of remaining shares available by reducing the supply or to return surplus cash to shareholders. The government wants public sector undertakings to either meet their targets for capital expenditure or “reward the shareholder in the form of a dividend” or share buyback. The government, which holds 51.76% of GAIL, is likely to participate in the GAIL buyback just as it did in the case of NTPC, Engineers India Ltd, RITES and KIOCL. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in her budget for 2020-21 set a target of raising Rs 2.1 lakh crore from privatisations and the sale of minority stakes in state-owned companies. The share buyback, as well as the dividend, is counted as part of this target. According to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), the government has so far raised Rs 28,298.26 crore from disinvestment proceeds.
This includes Rs 14,453.77 crore received as dividend from state-owned firms. The remaining Rs 13,844.49 crore proceeds include Rs 1,065.37 crore from selling shares in NTPC share buyback. The government is likely to miss its disinvestment target by a wide margin and the fiscal deficit is not likely to be anywhere near the target of 3.5 per cent of the GDP in 2020-21 (April 2020 to March 2021). While privatisation of firms such as Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Air India Ltd has been pushed into next fiscal due to COVID-19-related delays, tax collections have been hit hard as restrictions imposed to curb coronavirus dented incomes all around.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/gail-announces-rs-1046-35-cr-share-buyback/80284433

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Adani Group and Total across various businesses and companies of the Adani Group, covering investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, gas utility business, and renewable assets across India. This is in line with the commitment of both Adani and Total to be leading participants in the sustainable economy of the future and help India in its quest for development of renewable energy,” the Adani Group said. In 2018, Total and Adani embarked on the energy partnership with investment by Total in Adani Gas Ltd’s city gas distribution business, associated LNG terminal business, and gas marketing business. Total acquired 37.4% stake in Adani Gas Ltd and 50% stake in Dhamra LNG project. It was agreed that Total and Adani will continue this alliance into the wider sustainable energy space. Total and Adani agreed to the acquisition of a 50% stake in a 2.35 GWac portfolio of operating solar assets owned by AGEL and a 20% stake in AGEL for a global investment of $2.5 billion. “We are delighted to deepen our strategic alliance with Total, a global energy major, and welcome it as a significant shareholder in AGEL,” Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani said. “We have a shared vision of developing renewable power at affordable prices to enable a sustainable energy transformation in India. We look forward to working together towards delivering India’s vision for 450 GW renewable energy by 2030,” he said. Total SE’s chieef execitive officer Patrick Pouyanne said the agreement is an important step in the alliance with the Adani Group in India and with regard to the common vision and goals concerning the importance of access to low carbon energy in India. Total’s entry into AGEL is a major milestone in its strategy regarding the renewable energy business in India put in place by both companies, which began with the first joint venture of 2.3 GW of renewable capacity. Adani Group and Total have joined hands to develop green power sources at affordable prices and to deliver this transformational energy solution. As on date, AGEL has more than 14.6 GW of contracted renewable capacity, with an operating capacity of 3 GW and another 3 GW under construction and 8.6 GW under development. The company aims to achieve 25 GW of renewable power generation by 2025 and is committed to contributing meaningfully to India’s COP21 goals and to the wider United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change goals of sustainability.

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/total-to-acquire-20-stake-in-adani-green-energy-11610949134370.html

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Gazprom, which is leading the $11-billion gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany, has been out on the market for a U.S. dollar Eurobond issue of a benchmark size, or no less than $500 million. According to the source, the yield is set at 2.95%. Its initial yield guidance for the issue had been seen at 3.25-3.375%, according to IFR, the financial markets analytical service run by Refinitiv. The yield guidance was later narrowed to around 3.125% and further to 2.9%-2.95% as demand for the upcoming issue exceeded $3.75 billion during the book building, a financial market source told Reuters. In the Eurobond prospectus seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Gazprom has warned of the risks that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project may be suspended or scrapped amid political pressure. The United States this week sanctioned one of the Russian vessels destined to finish the pipe-laying works under the sea, earlier having warned of more sanctions to come. “The imposition of any additional sanctions is negative for company sentiment at this stage, but in our baseline scenario we anticipate that the project will be completed,” Aton brokerage said in a note on Wednesday (Jan 20). Overall, external markets are favoring Russian assets amid rising oil prices, on Tuesday allowing Sovcombank, one of the country’s top private banks, to raise $300 million at a 3.4 per cent yield via the 4-year Eurobond and demand at over $700 million. Moscow’s Domodedovo, which owns and runs the second largest airport in Eastern Europe by traffic, is also out to the market this week with 7-year U.S. dollar Eurobond, with funds to be used to buy some of its outstanding notes due in 2021 and 2023. Gazprom last tapped the market in October, raising $1.4 billion in perpetual bonds at a yield of 4.6 per cent and another 1 billion euros at 3.9 per cent. It plans to raise a total of 512 billion roubles ($7 billion) both in Russia and abroad this year.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/investors-buy-2-bln-in-gazprom-eurobond-shrugging-off-nord-stream-2-sanctions/80378044

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with J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley to help fund the development and pay for the acquisition of a minority stake in Energean Israel from private equity firm Kerogen. The Karish North field, which was discovered less than two years ago, is expected to start production in the second half of 2023, the company said in a statement. The final investment decision had been expected by the end of 2020. The field will be connected via a 5.4 kilometre (3.36 miles) pipeline to Energean’s 8 billion cubic metre-per-year floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit where the main Karish field is being developed and is expected to start production by year-end. The first well at Karish North is expected to produce up to 300 million standard cubic feet per day (3 billion cubic metres per year).

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/energean-approves-israel-gas-field-development/80282072

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adding that the Ministry dismissed all reports of a fuel crisis as baseless. All petroleum products, including natural gas, are available in all governorates and all filling stations are working at full capacity, the Petroleum Ministry told the center.  In fact, the government is acting to build more natural gas stations in light of a national project meant for vehicles to operate with natural gas, the Ministry said.  The Ministry put the number of natural gas stations across Egypt at 210 serving about 330,000 vehicles. About 80 centers have also been established to turn vehicles to operate with natural gas, the Ministry stressed.

 It urged all media outlets to verify news before publishing so as not to confuse public opinion.

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/3/96532/Cabinet-denies-news-of-natural-gas-shortage

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here to stay, industry sources told Reuters. Asian spot LNG prices LNG-AS dropped to as low as around $1.85 per MMBtu in May last year as coronavirus-induced lockdowns hammered gas demand, but shot up to a record $32.50 per MMBtu this week after an Asia-wide cold snap pumped up gas demand and drained stocks. “The recent volatility in LNG spot prices will increase the appeal of more stable oil-linked contract prices,” said Robert Sim, research director at Wood Mackenzie. Oil-linked term cargoes make up around two-thirds of supply in Asia, the world’s top LNG-consuming region. Long-term LNG contracts are typically linked to Brent crude prices as there are no uniform global gas prices for users to hedge against, though buyers and sellers had in recent years been exploring a hybrid mix of European, U.S. and Asian gas prices in contracts. The allure of hybrid contracts tied to spot gas prices has diminished, however, following the recent volatility. “Six months ago, buyers were asking for hybrid options in contracts but the recent enquiries (for long-term cargoes) we have been getting are all oil-linked,” a source with a major LNG supplier told Reuters. Between 2016 and 2020, Asia spot LNG prices averaged 27.2% less than Brent-linked prices, according to Refinitiv data, causing frustration among buyers tied to Brent-based contracts. However, the volatility of Asian spot prices – as measured by the standard deviation of month-end prices – was 51% higher over that same period, averaging $1.64 per MMBtu compared to $1.09 for Brent-linked values, a Reuters analysis showed. The standard deviation between December 2020 and the recent January 2021 high was $14.85 per MMBtu, as spot prices exploded above $30 while Brent-tied prices remained around $7. “The recent volatility may give buyers some added incentive to look more closely at long-term contracts, which they have been resisting in recent times in favour of mid-term deals and reliance on the spot market,” said Anthony Patten, a partner at law firm King & Spalding. “Maybe oil-linked pricing will become more appealing again, or if JKM is used, price ceilings might be included to protect buyers who have entered into term commitments from these types of spikes,” he said, referring to the Japan-Korea-Marker (JKM) published by price agency S&P Global Platts and which is used as a reference point in spot markets. Oil contracts are typically easier to hedge against Asian gas price risk as the oil derivatives market is more liquid and easier to access than the nascent and thinly-traded Asian LNG derivatives market. A lack of spare capacity and limited storage options in Asia also makes the LNG market susceptible to sudden jolts in demand and supply, industry sources said. Still, with temperatures in North Asia expected to rise soon, and more supply anticipated, spot prices will likely ease and narrow the gap with oil-linked prices, sources added.

“A JKM-indexed contract, which is still quite rare, would certainly now appear less attractive compared to an oil-index, but JKM prices are still expected to settle considerably this summer,” said Ross Wyeno, lead analyst of Americas LNG Analytics at Platts.

Source: LNG Global/Reuters

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Spot LNG prices have nearly tripled since early November as freezing temperatures across North Asia boosted demand and depleted inventories. Since July, prices are up a dizzying 1,000 per cent. Gas-fired power plants and industries across the region are scrimping on gas, with the scramble for other fuels driving up demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and residue oil. Pakistan, which is more reliant on spot LNG imports for its winter needs, is limiting gas use for industry to certain hours and industry executives have warned the situation has become critical. The recent power blackout, which plunged the entire country into darkness, was partly caused by a gas shortage after buyers who snapped up record-cheap LNG earlier in the year balked at paying up during the recent price surge.

Meanwhile in Bangladesh, the government has cut gas supplies to power plants due to lower electricity demand during winter, while maintaining steady gas flows to industries, a senior official at the state-run Petrobangla said. Soaring prices have led to cancelled orders from state-owned buyers Indian Oil Corp, Pakistan LNG and Bangladesh’s Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Co. “LNG prices have gone crazy […] For the last few tenders, we didn’t get any response from suppliers,” said Rafiqul Islam, general manager at Rupantarita Prakritik. Reliance Industries, operator of the biggest refining complex in western India, has almost halted LNG imports and switched to cheaper alternatives, industry sources said. Reliance did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. South Asia has been a critical growth market for LNG, with imports by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh climbing 8pc in 2020 to a record 50.48 billion cubic metres (BCM) despite the coronavirus pandemic’s hammering of the region’s economies, according to Refinitiv ship-tracking data. That growth rate was second only to China’s 11.5pc expansion in LNG imports in 2020. India could see two or three cargoes less in February and March than it normally would, said E.S. Ranganathan, head of marketing at India’s largest gas transmitter GAIL (India) Ltd. He however expects the impact on supplies to customers to be minimal. GAIL is due to receive 32 cargoes this year under its long-term deal with Gazprom compared to 24 last year, he added.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1601661[Edited]

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LNG export revenues in 2020 were probably about $36.1 billion, down more than a third from $48.7 billion in 2019, according to the latest calculations from consultancy EnergyQuest. Shipments reached a record high of 78 million tonnes, up by half a million tonnes from 2019, and could rise again this year with the restart of Shell’s floating Prelude plant and once repairs are completed at Chevron’s Gorgon in Western Australia, the firm said.

The figures suggest Australia was again the world’s biggest exporter of LNG in 2020, given rival Qatar has a nameplate capacity of 77 million tonnes but does not disclose actual export volumes. It described the action in global gas prices as “chaos” after crude oil slumped last March, bringing contract LNG prices down in its wake. Spot LNG prices fell to a record low of $US1.83 per MMBtu on oversupply and soft demand, but had surged more than eightfold by late December to a six-year high of $US15.10/MMBtu.

This month, Asian spot prices continued to rocket, touching a record high of $US32.49/MMBtu last week, amid a brutally cold winter in north Asia, production outages and bottlenecks in the Panama Canal. One cargo for immediate delivery was reportedly sold at $US37 as some importers were badly caught out by the squeeze.

‘False sense of security’ “The last few winters have been warmer than expected and with spot prices low buyers were probably lulled into a false sense of security,” EnergyQuest said. It noted that prices now appeared to have peaked, dropping last Friday to $US26.99/MMBtu for LNG to be delivered in February and late March cargoes were down at $US7.50/MMBtu. EnergyQuest said the wild price swings showed spot LNG prices were not suitable as a pricing comparison for east coast domestic gas prices. LNG “netback” prices – the domestic equivalent of the price after subtracting liquefaction and shipping costs – have swung between $2.29 a gigajoule in July and $8.73/GJ in January. The national competition regulator is citing a potential February netback price of $15.52/GJ, and the number could be even higher when updated later on Monday. Gas use in electricity generation dropped by 39 petajoules in 2020 from 2019. Replacing east coast gas with renewables to free up gas to export to China to replace coal is a win-win both environmentally and economically,” the firm said. Forty-four Australian LNG cargoes were delivered to China in December, up by six compared with the preceding month as well as December 2019, signalling no impact on LNG trade from the chilly economics relations between the countries. China remained by far the biggest buyer of Queensland LNG in December, at 1.4 million tonnes of its total Australian imports of 3 million tonnes, making it the biggest importer of Australian gas that month, overtaking Japan. China’s demand for LNG has been supported by its coldest winter in decades and a faster than expected recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/lng-sales-take-12-6b-hit-despite-record-exports-20210118-p56uum [Edited]

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according to a document posted on the company website. ENI offered a cargo for delivery over March 9 to 10 at a percentage of the Brent crude oil futures price, known as a slope rate, of 22.2421%, according to the document. Vitol offered a slope rate of 17.8131% for a cargo for March 16 to 17 delivery and a slope rate of 17.1917% for a cargo for March 22 to 23 delivery. PLL is a government subsidiary that procures LNG from the international market. Other companies which had placed offers into the tender include PetroChina International, Qatar Petroleum Trading, POSCO International and BB Energy, the document stated.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/italys-eni-trader-vitol-place-lowest-offers-for-pakistan-lng-march-tender/80322887

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CNG fuel system when installed on the General Motors 6.0L V8 engine. “These 2021 CARB and EPA certifications demonstrate our continued commitment to driving product development and staying at the forefront in the medium-duty vehicle segment,” said Seung Baik, President of Agility. “With the Agility 6.0L engine fuel system, customers have an attractive option to control fuel costs and meet fleet sustainability goals through the expansion of clean fuel vehicles in their fleet.” This new product from Agility enables vehicles such as the Freightliner Custom Chassis MT45 and MT55 walk-in vans, which are built to handle payloads of up to 23,000lbs., to be upfitted with Agility’s proprietary natural gas controls and fuel system to conform with the proposed 2024-2027 new CARB NOx emission regulations, as well as EPA’s standards issued under the Clean Air Act. Agility designed this 6.0L engine fuel system to simplify vehicle integration and significantly lower the upfront cost. When combined with Agility’s on-board CNG storage system, fleets are able to take advantage of low total cost of ownership (TCO) through fuel cost savings and reduced maintenance. When coupled with renewable natural gas, fleets can now achieve steep emissions reductions of up to 70% or more compared to conventional diesel – the equivalent of taking more than 66,000 passenger cars off the road.

https://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c5-products/u-s-epa-approves-agilitys-natural-gas-fuel-system-for-gm-6-0l-v8-engine/

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which they estimate that in December 2021 the country will reach 107 public natural gas stations. 2020 had closed with 57 stations in operation and 50 new projects, of which 21 are in steps prior to the start of service, others that are in process, construction or permits before the authorities, to start commercial activities this year. The AMGNV also reported that there are currently more than 52,000 natural gas vehicles in Mexico. According to the president of the entity Andrés Bayona, the growth in the service offer will require an effort to multiply current CNG consumption in proportion. “In November 2020 we decided to develop a national plan to reactivate the sector including all players. We are in the analysis and prospecting stage before launching this ambitious project that seeks to double the NGV vehicle fleet in just two years,” added Bayona. On the other hand, the production and export of heavy natural gas vehicles also advanced in Mexico, despite the implications of COVID-19 and the growth rate of the heavy vehicle industry in the country. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), from January to December 2020, 619 cargo and passenger vehicles powered by natural gas were produced, while exports reached 608 units. According to the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (ANPACT), the export of heavy vehicles running on gas had a significant growth in December 2020, since 78 units were sent abroad in that month, while in December 2019, 55 were exported, which meant a growth of 41.8%. In this regard, Miguel Elizalde, executive president of ANPACT, commented that December is a month in which the industry usually presents declines in production. However, he highlighted the growth of the export of “green” vehicles throughout last year, despite the effects of the health crisis in the industry.

https://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c1-markets/mexican-industry-expects-to-double-the-number-of-natural-gas-stations-in-2021/

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To celebrate the occasion, the first refueling was carried out on a premium-level CNG car: an Audi A5 G-tron, combining performance and efficiency with environmental benefits. In addition to opening, another five facilities will be launched in Lazio by 2022, three of which are located in motorway refueling stations on the A1 (Mascherone East-Rome, Mascherone West-Rome, A1 Casilina Est Frosinone). This marks a significant implementation for NGV drivers in Rieti, since there was only one natural gas station in the region so far. The new opening also represents an important milestone for the growth of a natural gas distribution infrastructure for transport throughout Italy, and the two companies plan to promote increasingly sustainable mobility. IP’s strategy is to evolve and innovate the role of the fuel distribution network which, by ensuring a multi-energy and multi-service offer, has turned into a strategic asset in the transition towards sustainable mobility. Snam4Mobility, a company wholly owned by Snam, provides integrated services for sustainable “smart green” mobility using natural gas and biomethane. To strengthen the distribution network, Snam4Mobility operates stations offering CNG and bio-CNG for cars and LNG and bio-LNG for heavy transport. Snam’s 2020-2024 strategy plan envisages the construction of 150 new natural gas and biomethane refueling stations and of the first five hydrogen stations. In addition to the Rieti location and the others that will be opened in Lazio, the construction of new natural gas stations is planned in collaboration between Snam4Mobility and IP in Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Abruzzo, Calabria, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia and Umbria.

https://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c4-stations/ip-snam4mobility-open-in-lazio-the-first-of-26-cng-stations-under-agreement/[Edited]

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It was not immediately clear whether EPA would grant the pending waivers or reject them. The waivers have been a point of controversy, as ethanol producers say they hurt demand for their products, while oil refiners reject that claim and say they are necessary to keep small refiners afloat. The Trump administration recently announced a series of moves regarding U.S. biofuel blending laws. The agency earlier said it was requesting comment on a potential general waiver for refiners for the 2019 and 2020 compliance years and also was proposing a new rule that would remove or alter the labeling for retail gasoline that contains higher ethanol blends. The agency also said it was proposing to further extend the deadlines for oil refiners to prove compliance with blending requirements for both the 2019 and 2020 years. Last week EPA signaled it would not act on a slew of pending individual waiver requests submitted by refining facilities because of pending litigation. Under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, refiners are required to blend billions of gallons of biofuels into their fuel mix, or buy credits from those that do. Refiners can apply for an exemption if they can prove the requirements would do them financial harm. (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; editing by Richard Pullin)

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/us-epa-to-release-update-on-biofuel-blending-waivers/8036660

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the CEO of A2A Renato Mazzoncini and the CEO of Snam Marco Alverà, is aimed at examining a system for supplying and refueling hydrogen from renewable sources and the recovery of material to power the new trains of the Brescia-Iseo-Edolo line announced by FNM and Trenord in November. The plan, called H2iseO, will make it possible to create the first Italian “Hydrogen Valley” in Lombardy, particularly in Sebino and Valcamonica, equipping it with a fleet of hydrogen trains and related infrastructure, starting from 2023. FNM, A2A and Snam will collaborate in the creation of a production and refueling system for the new trains, which will be purchased by FNM and entrusted to Trenord and which will replace the current diesel-powered trains on the railway line managed by FERROVIENORD (a 100% FNM company). Subsequently, by 2025, the hydrogen solution will also be extended to local public transport, which counts about 40 vehicles managed in Valcamonica by FNMAutoservizi (a 100% FNM company), with the possibility of also opening up to freight logistics. The conversion of the railway section to hydrogen represents a first step towards the decarbonization of the entire local public transport system in the valley, offering opportunities also for private mobility, thanks to the versatility of the filling stations.

Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of A2A, commented: “Innovation and sustainability are the two keywords of this initiative and represent the values at the base of this important collaboration. Hydrogen will certainly play a fundamental role in promoting the energy transition to contribute to achieving the European target of zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The multi-business nature of our Group puts us in the position of being able to provide various solutions for the production of green hydrogen in the area related to the project, from hydroelectric plants to our assets related to the circular economy. This agreement is a further step in the path undertaken by A2A to develop the potential of this important resource”. Snam CEO, Marco Alverà, added: “With this agreement, we strengthen our commitment to invest in the decarbonization of the Italian rail transport through hydrogen. Trains represent the first application in which green hydrogen will become competitive. For this reason, in addition to preparing our network to transport growing quantities of hydrogen, in Snam’s 2020-2024 plan we have foreseen investments of approximately 150 million euros for the development of refueling systems dedicated to sustainable railway mobility, which will allow to convert the numerous sections of the Italian network which are not electrified. The trains will be one of the first steps in the creation of a national hydrogen value chain, which will also provide new opportunities for development and employment”.

https://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c7-lng-h2-blends/first-italian-hydrogen-valley-under-development-to-boost-a-greener-transport/

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