Fri-El Geo, the geothermal subsidiary of Italy's renewable energy company Fri-El Group, has forged a strategic partnership with Milan-based enterprise A2A, through its subsidiary A2A Calore e Servizi. This collaboration aims to harness geothermal resources for heating applications in the bustling city of Milan, nestled in the Lombardy region of Italy.
Fri-El Geo has already embarked on its ambitious Pangea project, designed to establish geothermal plants capable of generating both heat and power for residential and industrial areas across the nation, with a specific focus on Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna. Ongoing drilling activities are underway for the geothermal heating initiative in Ostellato, expected to provide heat for approximately 120,000 homes.
Notably, a few months ago, Fri-El Geo had expressed its intention to offer a 50% ownership stake to potential investors willing to support the development of medium-enthalpy geothermal projects in Northern Italy.
Ernst Gostner, CEO of Fri-El Geo, highlighted the significance of this partnership, stating, “This partnership is a concrete, innovative, and effective response to the discussion on the ‘green homes' directive underway in the European Parliament and Council.” He further emphasized that the energy-saving guidelines outlined in the RePower EU package necessitate a halt to the installation and use of fossil fuel boilers, commencing in 2029.
Luca Rigoni, CEO of A2A Calore e Servizi, underscored the company's commitment to decarbonize its district heating and cooling networks as a central component of its strategic vision. The agreement with Fri-El Geo aligns seamlessly with this overarching objective, marking the initiation of the Lombardy capital's path toward ecological neutrality by 2050.