Our strategic objectives
Included in the 2024-2028 Sustainability Plan we have three strategic objectives pertaining to our path for environmental and resource protection.
To combat and adapt to the climate crisis, protect resources and water in particular, promote the circular economy, conserve biodiversity: these are our commitments as leading sustainable infrastructure operator.
Included in the 2024-2028 Sustainability Plan we have three strategic objectives pertaining to our path for environmental and resource protection.
The “Infrastructure resilience and safety” target refers to improvement interventions on the water networks and electrical grids.
“Water conservation” includes projects aimed at the regeneration of water resources.
“Environmental protection” includes interventions concerning the decarbonisation process, the implementation of a resource circularity model and the conservation of biodiversity.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES | INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SAFETY | WATER CONSERVATION | ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
Lines of intervention | Strategic works and aqueducts | Leak reduction | Resource circularity |
Lines of intervention | Optimisation of sewage treatment system | Water resilience | Decarbonisation |
Lines of intervention | Power grid upgrade | Water quality | Biodiversity |
Lines of intervention | Digitalisation |
Certain projects best represent our commitment to addressing the challenges of resource and ecosystem protection.
Sustainable infrastructures
Doubling of the Peschiera-Capore aqueduct
Innovation of power grids
Power grids flexibility
Water conservation
Reduction of water leaks
Protection of the Ecosystem
Spring conservation
To upgrade and increase the resilience, flexibility and safety of water and electricity infrastructures is a priority for Acea, with a view to providing a better service and enhancing the adaptability of infrastructures to climate change. In addition to major investments in infrastructure, the target includes the development of programmes for the digitalisation and remote control of networks aimed at optimising their efficiency.
Peschiera and Marcio aqueduct works:
Peschiera, completion of design/authorisation process
Peschiera, 20% progress of works
Marcio, completion of work (4 works)
Other aqueduct works:
Execution of 32 works
Division of the sewage system into districts:
1,930 km of network managed, out of 8,757 km
Potenziamento depurazione:
Interventions on 46 purification plants
2.6 million beneficiary population equivalents
Expansion of grid:
600 km ready for connection of new loads
Grid continuity:
Interventions on 240 km in low voltage and 840 km in medium voltage
285 thousand beneficiary customers
Upgrade of medium voltage substations and grids:
Interventions on 34 primary substations and 3,800 secondary substations
Electricity consumption water company flexibility:
Authorisation of 1 MW of flexibility
Broadband connectivity:
2 primary substations (out of 70)
6,100 secondary substations (out of 13,417)
2G meters:
770 thousand meters installed (for a total of 1,750,000)
Smart Grid:
333 thousand beneficiary population equivalents
Business continuity:
Zero interruptions in the operations room
Remote control:
2,193 remotely controlled sewage treatment plants (67% of the total)
3,206 remotely controlled drinking water systems
12,985 MV substations (100% of remotely controllable substations)
4.600 cabine BT (39% delle cabine telecontrollabili)
Water is not only a resource: it is the foundation of life, economic stability and industrial progress. Acea Research & Studies has published the “European water resilience strategy” position paper with the aim of providing an in-depth analysis of the most urgent challenges for the water sector. Acea intends to be an active participant in the transformation process, by offering a comprehensive overview of the sector’s vulnerability and outlining key solutions.
Completion of Peschiera design/authorisation process
Switched to broadband connectivity (out of total 2 to be reached)
Remotely controlled drinking water plants
FY2024
As Italy’s leading water services operator, we feel particularly responsible and have specific competencies with regard to water conservation and regeneration, also from a perspective of adapting to the effects of climate change. More specifically, we have planned major investments for the reduction of leaks and the continuous enhancement of drinking water quality, with a view to protecting the health of the community, and the quality of purified water, to enable the recovery and reutilisation and preserve the salubriousness of the natural environment to which it is returned. With this in mind, we are continuously developing innovative projects.
Reduction of lost volumes:
Total 93 MCM of water recovered
-5.6 p.p. reduction in losses versus 2023, from 46.7% to 41.1%*
*(Arera M1b indicator, 42.4% national average) Data to be confirmed following investigations underway with Arera
Purified water quality:
Reduction in non-compliant samples *
-91% total suspended solids
*(Arera M6 indicator, objective < national average)
Drinking water quality:
Improvement in water supplied *
Extension of Water Safety Plan to all areas covered
*(Arera M3 indicator)
Monitoring of PFAS:
55 PFAS and EOMP (emerging organic micropollutants) parameters
50 microplastic monitorings per year
Water requirement modelling:
24 municipalities for 70% of residents served
Aquifer modelling:
Full coverage of 5 aquifers, 5 well fields and 2 springs
Of the areas covered guaranteed by the Water Safety Plan
Monitorings of microplastics in water (versus 10 in 2023)
M6 improving for Acea Ato 2 and AdF
FY2024
In 2024 Intesa Sanpaolo and Acea signed the first national agreement for the protection and sustainable management of water in production processes. The two companies intend to develop system-wide initiatives with innovative solutions aimed at promoting the efficient use of water resources through technological advisory services, alongside investments for the reuse of purified water within “water communities”, with positive impacts for the environment, the territories and the companies themselves, which will be able to stabilise their water supply.
This area includes our strategic projects and actions in favour of the energy transition and for combatting climate change, together with our innovative projects for the regeneration and recovery of resources from a circular business model perspective and initiatives for the safeguarding of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Photovoltaic energy:
870 MW constructed/under management
Hydroelectric energy:
+8% plant efficiency versus average for three-year period 2020-23
Renewables for self-consumption:
+17 MW of installed photovoltaic energy (total 34 MW by 2028)
Biomethane:
1.2 MCM/year produced
Energy efficiency*:
*Indicator present in the group Long Term Incentive Plan
total 41 GWh energy saved by 2028 versus 2023
25,000 lighting fixtures replaced (public lighting)
Purchase of energy covered by GO:
0.5 TWh/year of green energy purchased
Sale of energy covered by GO:
4.1 TWh/year of green energy sold to customers in 2028 (75% of total energy sold)
ESCO plants:
40 MW installed at customer premises (PV and cogeneration)
Increase in waste volumes treated:
1.9 million tonnes treated in 2028 (+3% versus 2023)
End-of-Waste recovery (recycling):
Material recovery > 85% of incoming volumes
Recovery of sludge for biolignite:
6.4 thousand tonnes per year recovered through new facility (operational from 2026)
Reduction of sewage sludge*:
* Indicator present in the group Long Term Incentive Plan
-40% vs 2023
Sand reclamation:
65% material recovery
Reuse of wastewater:
7 MCM destined for reuse
Removal of high voltage pylons:
115 pylons removed (out of a total 921) with recovery of 620 sqm of soil in areas with high biodiversity
Reclamation of Sarno river:
Total elimination of illegal discharges (69 during the plan period, total 113)
Around 275 thousand new residents connected to purification system
Ecosystem protection plan:
Development of a biodiversity project
We want to contribute to global objectives for combatting climate change by developing initiatives aimed at protecting people and the environment. In addition to interventions for the resilience of the water networks and electrical grids, we invest in energy efficiency, emissions reduction and renewable energy production programmes. Moreover, Acea offers its customers energy covered by “Guarantee of Origin” certification and gas with CO2 emission compensation through the purchase of carbon credits.
Since 2019 we have been conducting climate scenario analyses in reference to the Group’s various businesses according to the ISSB-TCFD system recommendations, which have now been integrated into the ESRS standards, in order to continue fine-tuning our ability to understand and manage the physical and transition risks for our assets, as well as the potential opportunities related to the new scenarios.
Our decarbonisation programme envisages above all the development of energy from renewable sources and the use and offer to our customers of electricity covered by Guarantee of Origin.
Energy produced from renewable sources
Energy for consumption, purchased with GO
Energy sold with GO
Trees planted in the Merendòn mountain range (Honduras)
Our climate change emissions reduction objective is validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), in keeping with the Paris Climate Agreement trajectories, aimed at limiting the increase in global temperature to well below 2°C with respect to pre-industrial levels. Our current commitment, which envisages objectives for 2032, during 2025 will be integrated with long-term climate goals.
The decarbonisation levers identified for achieving the SBT goals mainly include: the growth in renewable energy production (Scope 1 target); the implementation of energy efficiency interventions on plants and locations and increase in the purchase of energy with guarantee of origin (Scope 2 target); an upturn in the share of energy sold with guarantee of origin and the progressive reduction in gas volumes managed, in line with developments in the market which anticipates increasing electrification of consumption (Scope 3 target).
Objective for 2032 with respect to 2020:
SCOPE 1
Reduce by 56% the intensity of direct emissions per unit of energy produced (tCO2e/ MWh).
SCOPE 2
Reduce by 32% the indirect emissions (tCO2e) associated with electricity withdrawn from the grid.
SCOPE 3
Reduce by 30% the indirect emissions (tCO2e) associated with the sale and distribution of methane gas.
SCOPE 1+3
Reduce by 56% the intensity of indirect emissions pertaining to the sale of electricity (tCO2e/MWh).
Acea gives priority to the implementation of resource circularity processes, via the adoption of innovative solutions for optimising consumption and recovering and reutilising resources. More specifically, this focus concerns the Water business, with the execution of specific projects for the recovery and reuse of wastewater and purified water, and the Environment business, for the recovery of waste and energy and product valorisation. In this area, we deal with waste treatment for the recovery of materials (e.g. glass, paper, metals); we produce energy from waste via the waste-to-energy conversion process; we generate biogas from composting; we manage liquid waste, from which we recover useful resources; we produce high-quality compost.
Production of renewable energy via waste-to-energy processes (out of total renewable)
High-quality compost produced
Sludge reduction from purification
End-of-waste materials recovered (recycling)
FY2024
In our 2024-2028 Sustainability Plan, we commit to valorising biodiversity through our presence in Honduras with the company Aguas de San Pedro, which manages the integrated water service for the city of San Pedro Sula. In particular, the target for 2028 is to plant 350 thousand trees, in addition to the million already planted, with a view to protecting local species and increasing employment in the area.