An industrial plan that triples investments and brings them to 16 billion in ten years, structured in only two pillars: 10 billion for the energy transition and 6 for the circular economy. The new course of A2A is that of a company passing from a phase of consolidation to one of growth, explains CEO Renato Mazzoncini. Naturally betting on the green turning point that will cross all of Europe and on territorial expansion. The first months after the launch of the industrial plan gave encouraging results: title at the highest level in Piazza Affari, first quarter with a 27% increase in revenues and 21% in Ebitda compared to 2020 and 2019. The goal is to guarantee a profit net growth of over 8% on average per year, with dividends up 3%.
Mazzoncini, in which direction is your group going?
«In the same direction indicated by the Recovery Plan: green and sustainability are central to our plan. One of the key points of our work has been to make it easier for investors to read what we are doing. This is why we have merged everything into two pillars: circular economy with waste cycle, water cycle and district heating and then everything else in the energy transition. Then we also simplified the structures that have to implement the plan: from five to three business units, eliminating among other things the one that dealt with foreign markets, because Europe is now going to considered internal market. In addition, we have included the market and generation areas in the same unit: for years the development of renewables has been based on incentives and has attracted atypical players such as investment funds, now that production capacity must be multiplied by ten, a change is needed. step by step and we want to take advantage of having important skills within us, such as energy management, the ability to dispatch various energy sources and a solid customer basenti ».
Why have you invested more in the energy transition than in the circular economy?
“Because in that field it is very clear what needs to be done, the issue is only the execution of well-defined programs: to get decarbonised to 2050, a small part of the infinite renewable energy available to the planet must be captured and our children will not have the energy problem “.
What are the main green objectives of the plan?
«Nn the environmental sector we want to consolidate our role as a leading Italian company and one of the largest in Europe, also with new material recovery plants for a total of 2.2 million tons of recycling and energy recovery for a total of 5, 4 million tons. In the water cycle we will reduce losses by 20% and as regards purification we will reach 1.9 million inhabitants served. Coal-fired plants, on the other hand, will be decommissioned by 2022. On the energy front, we aim to reach 5.7 GW from renewables with investments and acquisitions for 4 billion euros, through solar and wind power. Regarding the decarbonisation of the automotive sector, we have three objectives: to install 6 thousand public charging points, activate 200 thousand contracts for charging services and install over 50 thousand domestic charging wallboxes.».
How many of your investment plans are tied to Recovery funding?
«Out of 16 billion, only 200 million for the connection of the Cassano d’Adda power plant to the Milan district heating network: it is necessary to be competitive. Overall, a good 8 billion are attributable to self-financed projects but linked to the recovery objectives. Let’s say, therefore, that we are ready to use, in addition to our resources, also any financing coming from the Recovery. We can say that we know where, when and how to open our “construction sites”: since that money must be spent by 2026, whoever is ready will be the natural candidate for local authorities. And we are ready ».
You have planned to double your customers in ten years. Where and how?
“WorryThe goal is to go from the current 2.9 million customers to the six expected by 2030. 40% of the Italian customers of the multi-utility companies remained tied to the enhanced protection service. It is a scheme that will expire in a few months and at that point millions of customers will go to auction. Only structured companies like ours will be able to participate effectively. We are also strong on digital also through the newly formed NeN company and through this channel we expect to win one million users by 2030. The goal is to get out of the historical Lombard territorial base, the Center-South is the natural growth basin.but”.