Edison is committed to preserving the natural capital affected by its activities through efficient environmental management.

During the year, portable equipment was acquired to record fugitive emissions and processing plant smokestack emissions to monitor and mitigate these aspects. Ozone depleting substances (from, for example, air conditioners, heat pumps and refrigerators) are monitored by specialised firms that handle plant maintenance as well and, where necessary, minimise any leakage.

Furthermore, the restoration and reclamation of the Codogno mining site were also carried out.

Between 2015 and 2016, at all Edison storage facilities, the rags used in maintenance were replaced with another type of rag that can be recycled and reused. To this end, an agreement was signed with a firm specialised in renting recyclable technical rags. This enabled Edison to reduce its production of hazardous waste and cut disposal costs.

At the Cellino power station, the “tool gas” system was replaced with a “tool air” system to move the plant valves: this modification led to a reduction in natural gas dispersion in the atmosphere.

During the year, noise barriers (barriers previously used for drilling) were installed on the air cooler perimeter of the Cellino 35 compressor. The result was positive and cut noise by about 12 dB, measured near the first receptor. Although this was not required because the site already complied with the legal noise limits, it was installed to maintain a good relationship with the surrounding area and was appreciated by local stakeholders.

Edison completed and continued to fuel restoration and biodiversity protection projects, especially in the areas surrounding its production plants and infrastructures.

In particular, the BioVega project, in partnership with experts from the Protected Marine Area in the Acitrezza Ciclopi Islands and the University of Catania, has helped transform the Vega A platform in a biodiversity workshop. The first stage of the project, i.e., the survey of species and algae living on the underwater structure and in the waters surrounding the platform, the analysis of flora and fauna and the continuous monitoring of certain vital parameters, was completed in 2014, demonstrating that the main residents of the jacket are molluscs (17 species) and detecting a significant presence of fish species, including species that would not normally be present, making it a fishing attracting device (FAD) for the species found.

After technology scouting, the second step will entail the installation of specific devices to create habitats that can host this biodiversity (techno-reefs) and video cameras will be installed in the final stage to film marine life.

To make the most of the BioVega project and best repeat it on the future Vega B platform, Edison began an analysis to systematically document the new elements included in the environmental impact assessment application filed in July, with the aim of improving the project (without changing the scientific methodology) through open and constructive stakeholder engagement.

During the second half of the year, a “BioVega B” co-design process began to expand upon project knowledge while also maximising its value, organising it in accordance with stakeholders’ specific expectations, opening new channels for relationships with them.

The engagement process – for environmental issues only, and biodiversity more specifically – generated the following results:

• Stakeholder mapping and stakeholder relationship status evaluation;
   
• Identification of key issues and suggestions to improve/upgrade the BioVega project.
   

The final step in this project, which is currently underway, is to report back on results to the stakeholders, in order to then begin projects and operations to implement the shared solutions.

Furthermore, the Mosselmonitor biological monitoring of sea water on the Rospo Mare B platform is still in progress, in collaboration with the animal protection institute of Termoli (Campobasso).