The CEO of Retail Energy Business of GAS NATURAL FENOSA, Daniel López Jordà, and the Vice-President of Governmental and Institutional Relations for SEAT and the Volkswagen Group in Spain, Ramón Paredes, have signed a strategic agreement to develop and promote the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the automotive field in Spain, in the coming years.
The agreement will allow both companies to value their leadership in this sector, strengthen their respective positions in the Vehicular Natural Gas market, and promote among companies and individuals the use of CNG in the area of mobility.
Collaboration through various initiatives
By virtue of the strategic agreement, both companies will establish several joint action lines over the next two years to promote the use of Vehicular Natural Gas as an alternative fuel. Therefore, the companies will consider different business models for the marketing of CNG vehicles that may cover the entire value chain: the vehicle itself, infrastructure and gas supply.
Among the initiatives agreed, the companies will study their joint participation in projects related to the promotion of CNG in vehicle fleets of companies and between individuals. Likewise, the companies will work to incorporate the SEAT vehicles running on CNG in the vehicles fleets of GAS NATURAL FENOSA and its partner companies.
Additionally, the energy company and the car company will jointly consider the installing of publicly accessible CNG filling points at dealerships considered relevant to promote this type of fuel.
Finally, both companies will work on the research and development of sustainable sources of natural gas as well as on the technical implications that can be applied to the engines of the car brand.
“To GAS NATURAL FENOSA, a company that has worked for more than a decade in the study and promotion of the use of gas in urban transport, this agreement is an important step for the development of mobility through alternative fuels as natural gas, being understood as a way to promote sustainability and create value for society”, said Daniel López Jordà, after signing the agreement.
On the other hand, Ramón Paredes said “To promote CNG technology in the country together with a partner such as GAS NATURAL FENOSA is a guarantee of success. SEAT already sells CNG-powered vehicles in markets such as Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, where they have an optimal infrastructure to meet the demand for compressed natural gas. Our commitment to sustainability is also reflected in sales, since 85% of the cars sold in Spain and 60% worldwide are low emission vehicles (120g/km.)”.
CNG, a sustainable alternative fuel
Compressed natural gas is a fuel that offers environmental and economic benefits, and provides an alternative to traditional fuels.
Compressed natural gas can reduce airborne emissions and improve air quality in cities. In this sense, it can reduce by more than 85% the emissions of nitrogen oxides and helps to reduce by 24% the emissions of CO2 -the main greenhouse gas-. Furthermore, from an economic point of view it permits fuel cost savings of between 30% and 50%.
3,5l/100Km
Currently, SEAT has designed two vehicles that run on compressed natural gas. The Mii Ecofuel that with 79g/km is the mass manufactured vehicle producing the lowest CO2 emissions in the history of the company and which is exceeding the sales forecasts in markets such as Italy, where the CNG technology is well implemented.
And, in early 2014, the New LEON 1.4 TGI which is a further example of SEAT’s commitment to CNG.With very low consumption figures and the lowest fuel price, the New LEON is one of the most economical vehicles in the market. The LEON TGI in CNG mode offers a range of over 400 kilometers and an average consumption of 3.5 kg (3.5 euros approx.) of gas per 100 kilometers, producing CO2 emissions of only 94 g/km. Meanwhile, in the gasoline mode it offers an additional range of 900 kilometers and, with both fuel tanks full, can travel more than 1,300 kilometers.
SEAT is the only company in its sector with the full-range capacity to design, develop, manufacture and market cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting more than 80% of its vehicles, and is present in more than 75 countries. In 2012 SEAT had a total turnover of more than 6 billion euros, with overall deliveries amounting to 321,000 units.
SEAT Group employs 14,000 professionals at its three production centres in Barcelona − Zona Franca, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon, amongst other models. Additionally, the company produces the Alhambra in Palmela (Portugal), the Mii in Bratislava (Slovakia) and the Toledo in Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) at Volkswagen Group plants.
The Spanish multinational also has a Technical Center, a ‘knowledge hub’, bringing together close to 1,000 engineers whose goal is to be the driving force behind innovation for the number one industrial investor in RD in Spain. In line with its declared commitment to environmental protection, SEAT undertakes and bases its core activity on sustainability, namely reduction of CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, as well as recycling and re-use of resources.
GAS NATURAL FENOSA is one of the leading multinational companies in the gas and electricity sector, and the leading company with respect to natural gas marketing in the Iberian Peninsula and the first natural gas distributor in Latin America.
GAS NATURAL FENOSA is the leading company in energy efficiency in Spain and is an international benchmark in this field. The company considers the efficiency as the main tool for ensuring energy supply, contribute to the competitiveness of its customers and improve environmental sustainability.
The company provides its customers mobility solutions, including the use of alternative fuels, the cost and environmental impact of which is less than the traditional fuels used in the automotive industry. Among other technologies, the vehicular natural gas and electric vehicles are included in this section.