Managing natural resources: A2A’s “modus operandi”
The Group has traditionally been a leader in the collection, treatment and recovery of municipal waste and
continues its commitment to the construction of new plants that enhance the value of separate waste collection.
The increased costs of energy sources and raw materials, had a limited effect on the production of secondary End of Waste raw materials from urban collection, which suffered only a slight decrease.
Plastics sorted by the Cavaglià and Muggiano plants in 2022 amounted to 37,100 tonnes (of which 16,030 tonnes of PET), slightly down from the previous year (-3%). In addition to these fractions, which are ready for extrusion plants, 47,350 tonnes of plasmix (mixed small-sized plastics) were sent to specialized plants for further material recovery.
On the other hand, the Asti plant recorded an appreciable increase in the production of furnace-ready glass scrap in 2022 (+5.3% compared to 2021), thanks to the revamping of the plant and the increase in its production capacity, which allowed it to produce 105,867 tonnes.
Agripower produced more digestate from the anaerobic digestion of vegetable matter, used as a soil conditioner in agriculture in 2022, amounting to 387,058 tonnes (+4% compared to 2021), while there was a decrease in the overall compost produced from the green fraction due to reduced production of garden clippings and pruning caused by the particularly dry season (-31% compared to 2021), which amounted to 46,932 tonnes in 2022.
Energy transition and decarbonization: A2A’s roadmap
The Group encourages the development of sustainable technologies and the use of renewable energy. In this sense, A2A also reaffirmed its commitment to the ecological transition in the latest Strategic Plan update, declaring its intention to reach net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2040.
Overall, the thermoelectric production of the A2A Group's power plants increased in 2022, and as a result, the composition of the energy mix changed compared to 2021. In particular, the contribution of coal increased from 1% in 2021 to 3% in 2022, that of heavy fuel oil from 8% to 11%, while the share of natural gas, which stood at 58% in previous years, increased by 3 points.
The percentage of production from renewable sources (hydro, solar, wind, biogas, biomass and the renewable fraction of waste) decreased to 21%, despite the acquisition of wind and solar power plants (+292 GWh produced from these sources compared to 2021), due to the lower hydroelectric production, which was almost halved (-1,500 GWh compared to 2021) due to the low water availability conditions. The production attributable to the non-renewable fraction of waste instead remained constant.
Some 2021 numbers
381kton
Secondary raw material produced by Group facilities
1,202,214ton
Sorted waste collected +22.4% compared to 2020
330kg/MWh
Group CO2 emission factor
Actions
Safeguarding biodiversity
A2A is actively committed to protecting biodiversity and not interfering with the protected area system through its operations. Analyses of potential interference of the A2A Group's activities with the protected areas system continued in 2022. The system of protected areas considered concerns the sites belonging to the Natura 2000 Network, IBA (Important Bird and Biodiversity Area) areas, and areas considered important habitats for the
conservation of populations of wild birds, nature reserves, natural monuments. From the mapping phase - which is increasingly extended - it emerged that out of a total of 347 Group sites and networks analysed, 133 have potential interference with the system of protected areas.
In particular, the projects launched in 2022 include:
- implementation of a project to protect birdlife in the territory within the borders of the Alto Garda Bresciano Regional Park for a period of three breeding seasons. The studies will make it possible to quantify the benefits in terms of protecting biodiversity deriving from the interventions already carried out and planned by Unareti, concerning the replacement and decommissioning of overhead lines, as well as to identify any further interventions to make certain sections of line at high risk safe.
- support for the "Migrandata - Cervati" project, aimed at studying ‘outward migration’ which occurs from the end of August to the end of autumn and which sees the migratory birds fly to Africa.Unlike the 'return migration', i.e., the journey from Africa to Europe to nest, information on the outward migration is incomplete and fragmentary, especially when dealing with territories in inland areas. This investigation is also of great importance in the context of climate change studies, as high-altitude open environments are among those most affected by the climate emergency.
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