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CPL CONCORDIA Group Newsletter

43

Postal subscription with special rates for periodicals issued more than twice a year and no more than 70% advertising content. Business Sales Management Department. Modena

n.

Year XI - n.4 december 2013

TURIN EUROPE’S DISTRICT HEATING CAPITAL

The heat storage plant designed and developed by CPL CONCORDIA for IREN Energia S.p.A. has now been opened and will be serving a network spread over 500 km and covering more than 550,000 people. Offering a highly flexible heating flow management system, the plant will provide savings of around 5,000 TOE/year

CUTS IN HEALTH? LET’S START BY CUTTING DOWN ON POWER USAGE...

The success story of Modena district health service FINANCIAL STATEMENT TRANSPARENCY BRINGS CPL MAJOR RECOGNITION CPL’s financial statements and sustainability report have earned the company a place at the top, with the group singled out as best of the large unlisted companies

What the ‘Oscar for Financial Statements’ says about us Award for ‘Best Large Unlisted Company’ offers recognition of the company’s transparency and accreditation in relations with investors and markets The award, which was received at

includes the certifications obtained and

the panel’s decision to recognise the

a ceremony held at the Italian Stock

which must also be maintained (SA8000,

financial statements make for interesting

Exchange on 2 December, highlights the

18001, 14001, etc.). A choice whose

reading: ”The information contained in

commitment to transparency undertaken

implementation enables us to break

the Annual Report is detailed and easily

by CPL CONCORDIA in its corporate

down the business and social objectives

accessible for members and stakeholders

communications. A careful choice, which

of

reassign

in general” while the Sustainability

involves the entire corporate framework,

responsibility over all levels. Certain

Report was described as a ”driver for the

at all levels, and a strategic choice, which

passages from the reasoning behind

creation of shared value”.

nd

our

cooperative

and

As

mentioned

by

the

Minister

of

Economic Development, Flavio Zanonato, the ‘Oscar’ is also a business tool: ”I consider this award highly relevant in today’s system, in which businesses are also competing increasingly on the basis of the transparency and quality of their financial statements in order to gain consensus from their stakeholders and credibility on the markets.”

CPL CONCORDIA is associated with

Editor-in-chief FRANCESCO MANICARDI

The quarterly newsletter brought to you by CPL CONCORDIA Group Year XI - n. 4 December 2013 Registered with the Court of Modena on 26.05.2003 under n. 1673

Editors GABRIELE BATTISTI SAURO CORSI MARCO DAL DOSSO MARIO GUARNIERI EMANUELE MALAVASI E-mail: redazione@cpl.it Design and Layout Gabriele Greco - Communications CPL CONCORDIA Marco Maini - KINA SNC Printed by TIPOLITO SALVIOLI - www.salvioli.it

CNews online - http://en.cpl.it/cnews

Get free access to C-News contents from the CPL CONCORDIA website by downloading the QR Code Reader!

Partner

Have contributed to this issue: PAOLO BARBIERI MASSIMO BELLUZZI LUCA BOCCHI ROBERTO CASARI MASSIMO CONTINATI CESARE CREMONESI EURO CRESPI MARCO DAL DOSSO ANDREA GAMBUZZI CLAUDIO GARDOSI MICHELE GAVIOLI TANJA GAVIOLI MASSIMO GRASSILLI ANDREA GRILLI ANGELO GUERRIERI BARBARA LODI EMANUELE MALAVASI DARIO MARASTONI MAURIZIO MARCON

LUCA PREO BRUNO SANTORELLI ALESSANDRO TRALLI TIZIANO ZOCCHI Published by CPL CONCORDIA Soc. Coop.

Via A. Grandi, 39 41033 Concordia s/Secchia (MO) Tel. 0535.616.111- Fax 0535.616.300 Website: www.cpl.it Mail: info@cpl.it

LEADING ARTICLE

Every day we have to learn (and do) something new

The worldwide search for new energy solutions, including improved efficiency, more savings, and better mixes of renewable sources, is opening up the field to action and projects in new areas of the market, from Southeast Asia to America. A vital requirement for this process is the development of innovative technology, accompanied by a sound financial standing. pronged-approach to finding energy solutions. The first prong involves encouraging savings in conventional energy sources (oil, gas, coal), which continue to be the main staples of international development. CPL CONCORDIA’s experience over recent years is certainly innovative with respect to markets which, accustomed to low energy costs, are now feeling the need to make savings in order to be more competitive. This is clearly a reference to the U.S. economy, which remains the world’s largest, but it also concerns certain fast-evolving areas, such as Central American countries, the United Arab Emirates, and even Russia. Also interesting is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is the E.U.’s third largest trading partner and which, in the form of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) envisaged for 2015, will encourage business investment through tax facilities and incentives.

The second prong concerns renewable sources and it is here that the fundamental aspect that is financial capacity has its place, which is essential to support this type of initiative. As leading players in Italy in the solar and biomass power market, we will keep on working in this direction, although with certain caveats.

13 years ago oil cost $10 a barrel, with production costs averaging $14, while today, we are paying $100 a barrel. Within these circumstances, where - despite international consumption available reserves of ‘black gold’ tend to remain the same or even rise (the oil found each year is more than that used), a drop in oil prices could seriously shake the system. All the investments made so far in green power would no longer be competitive and the energy savings would no longer offer large enough margins

Roberto Casari (aged 60) - rcasari@cpl.it Chairman, CPL CONCORDIA

For CPL CONCORDIA, 2013 has been the year of the earthquake. In May 2012, when the earthquake shook the company’s Modenabased headquarters, the course of our business activities was pretty much predestined. This has been the year, though, in which we have fully experienced the aftermath of the event, in the form of the material damage suffered by the company and the additional costs incurred, which have impacted on the financial situation. Production activity, meanwhile, has been positive overall, as a result of our intense commitment throughout Italy and abroad. Our efforts in 2013 have enabled us to develop our innovation activities, without which a company has no prospects.

Innovation, however, is pointless unless accompanied by a sound financial standing.

With oil at $100 a barrel, the world market has adopted a two

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

to persuade companies to invest in technology and people. This means we have to examine this possibility to prevent the risk of overinvesting in renewables without being able to reconvert. Six years ago, in fact, CPL was just half the organisation it is today, in terms of sales and employees, but rather than quantitative, the company’s growth has been qualitative. Our staff now offer various professional skills and qualifications (60% hold university degrees or high-school leaving diplomas) and handle a range of activities. What we were doing up to six years ago makes up just 30% of the total corporate activities today. CPL Concordia is no longer seen as merely ”the company that lays gas pipes” because if that were all we did, we would be out of business.

Today, our business is strongly oriented towards energy savings, green economy, and innovation that revolves around the use of gas. What kind of innovation? Smart metering, for example, which involves usage metering combined with energy loss and efficiency recovery assessments, and also meters for with data transmission functions (radio, GPS, etc.) and bill payment options such as prepaid cards and or credit card payment. In one image of the future, our mobile phones will be communicating with our smart meters.

Water resources is another area which has caught our interest.

Not as regards the ‘public or private?’ debate, because there is no doubt that this essential resource needs to be very carefully controlled in terms of quantity and quality and the public sector clearly has to monitor the quality of the service.

However, the authorities do not necessarily have to be involved in water management and provision activities. I believe that our cooperative – whose background and corporate structure clearly reflect the pursuit of common interests – could be perfect to mediate between different yet interlinked needs for costefficiency and service quality. Over the next ten years, these

are the directions CPL will be taking, building on its already strong experience, with 114 years in business. A certain Italian expression comes to mind ”Vivere il presente, con l’esperienza del passato, per indovinare il futuro”, i.e. ”Live in the present, with the experience of the past, so as to envisage the future” – reminding me that this is the way things go and always will do.

We have to have the enthusiasm to learn something new every day and to pass it on to our co-workers, otherwise, our business destiny is sealed. What is happening in Italy today is clear. As the establishment crumbles around our population, we can no longer be sure that the Italians have what it takes to ride out the current crisis. People today are disheartened and exasperated by tax laws and regulatory requirements. In a world where mobile phones become outdated in six months, how can it be acceptable to still be waiting for laws to be enforced enacting bills passed (over 500, to be precise) by governments of over ten years ago!

The opportunistic streak of today’s politicians is obvious, and I often wonder whether any of these people lose sleep at night over such a major issue as how to get Italy back on its feet? Every day we hear discussions about the government and how long it will last, but what we should really be thinking about is how, just like within a company, a nation without stable governance cannot go anywhere. To be able to govern, you have to know who you are and where you want to go, but Italy today has no such outlook. Just think, the public administration system in Italy costs €800 billion a year and it is unable to reduce its costs by 10%. So what does the government do? It keeps on added property taxes and suchlike, making it increasingly hard for anyone to make investments and boost the economy. Most probably, if all goes well, we’ll end up as a nation of restaurant and hotel owners, all thanks to decisions made by others.

CNews n. 43 December 2013

In this issue

BUSINESS AREA

BUSINESS NEWS

06

High-Tech tanks for heating in Turin

26

Pioneers for international exchange

09

CPL recognized for its financial statements

28

10

Modena district health service make huge savings

Italy/Spain/USA for energy saving the software challenge

29

Emilia Romagna Regional Council calls upon CPL for South Africa

30

Emilia-based co-ops studying Freiburg’s eco-districts

13

New power plant passes energy consumption test

14

First “stone” of the future Polish power industry laid in Pila

16

CPL sets out to win over Mexico with EDOR system

17

The secrets of our odorant monitoring system

18

Green ceramics manufacturing starts with Sant’Agostino

CSR

MARKETING 20

Italian-made energy goes on display

22

169 Live Show, the multi-service businesses lie here

25

Now power meters can be topped up using mobile phones

32

Those who share with others grow with them

34

Pinocchio in the Land of Children’s Rights

36

A new electricity workshop for Argentine students

38

The Escuela Nazareth and CPL’s support

COOPERATIVE WAY 39

5

Valuing people in social cooperatives: the CPL IT project

Hi-tech tanks for heating in Turin Unveiling of heat storage plant developed by CPL CONCORDIA for IREN Energia S.p.A. Six large storage units for optimal management of the heating flows will be serving district heating networks covering 500 km.

The interior of the heat storage system at the Martinetto centre. Six pumps, each measuring 4 m in height, with a flow rate 8.2 bar.

The opening ceremony attended by the mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino.

Claudio Gardosi (aged 31) cgardosi@cpl.it Project Manager, Concordia, Emilia area

M

onday, 2nd December 2013, Turin. Attended by the city’s mayor, Piero Fassino, Chairman of IREN S.p.A. Francesco Profumo, and other representatives of Turin’s institutions and industry, the ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of heat storage plant at the Martinetto centre, designed and built by CPL CONCORDIA for IREN Energia S.p.A., on the long-time premises of the group, which opened its first thermal power plant in 1907.

The plant built consists of a system for storing heat from superheated water, featuring six pressurised tanks with a total capacity of 5,000 m2 and the following design specifications:

by thermal electric plants working in cogeneration mode at night, when the demand for heat for homes is lower, in order to feed it back in during the district heating network’s peak load times, thereby minimising use of supplementary boilers.

As far as operating requirements go, the storage tanks can be filled and emptied several times a day, holding and delivering superheated water with a flow temperature normally in the range of 105 to 120 °C. The energy contribution provided by the storage system allows major objectives to be achieved, such as high operating flexibility, rapid start-up, high flexibility in the management of thermal energy flows, and savings in primary energy sources amounting to about 5,000 TOE/year, as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The system created by our cooperative is designed to be incorporated into extremely advanced plant engineering. Turin holds the record for the greatest use of district heating in Italy, and also ranks among the top cities in Europe for this kind of system usage. Turin’s district heating network includes 500 km of pipelines for the transportation and distribution of heat, with a user base in the order of 550,000 inhabitants.

For CPL CONCORDIA, the project began some time ago, on 16th December 2011, when our cooperative received a purchase order for the design, supply, and installation of the BOP for the storage system. The engineering department immediately set

pressure: 18 bar; temperature: 210 °C; outer diameter: 7.6 m; height: 25 m.

The water stored within the six tanks is fed into the district heating system via the pumping station. The plant features two units, each containing three variable speed pumps installed in parallel, whose speed is controlled by varying the power supply frequency of the electric motors, which operate at 690 V. The six pumps in the pumping station (all of which are identical) measure approximately 4m in height and feature the following design specifications: rated flow: 365 kg/s; head at rated flow: 8.2 bar; electrical capacity: 420 kW. Ancillary systems completing the CPL CONCORDIA plant include shared facilities, such as 22kV, 690V and 400V electrical panels, HVAC system, waste water system, air heating element, and fire prevention and video surveillance systems.

This heating system is designed to store thermal power produced

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

about designing a technical system with extremely challenging specifications (unsurprisingly given that the whole idea stemmed from a project idea developed between the Turin Polytechnic and IREN Energia).

Following the severe earthquake that had hit our company, CPL obtained an extension of the contractual deadlines from IREN Energia and resumed activities on site on 25th February 2013, although our design work was never put on hold. Thanks to all the hard work put in over recent months and the synergistic use of all the skills in the company and the production facilities in Concordia sulla Secchia and Melegnano, we were able to achieve this major milestone. The commitment shown during one of the toughest periods in our history and all that we have managed to achieve clearly demonstrates the professionalism of our cooperative.

CPL recognised for its financial statements Massimo Continati (aged 52) mcontinati@cpl.it Director of Administration and Information Systems

of painting a full and clear picture of the essence of our organisation.

The reasoning put forward by the panel for the decisions was that CPL had provided ”not only the information required by statutory laws, but also extensive detailed information and analysis of economic and financial indicators, accompanied by well-structured layout and graphics”.

Over the years, our staff, made up of colleagues and associate workers, have all cooperated in the preparation of the financial statements and sustainability report, with a view to producing a progressively integrated document that aims to provide a detailed depiction of CPL CONCORDIA’s mission, i.e. to ‘produce real work”.

S

ponsored by FERPI, the ‘Oscars for the Financial Statements’ were awarded at the Italian Stock Exchange in Milan on 2nd December. Finalist in the previous two years, this year CPL CONCORDIA earned itself the title of Best Unlisted Large Company for its financial statements. This is significant recognition of the commitment and passion of those who have provided all our stakeholders with this portrayal of our company, with the intention

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

Modena district health service make huge savings Thanks to its new cogeneration plant, the Sant’Agostino Estense Hospital at Baggiovara has reduced its fuel consumption by 22%. A software selector manages the various operating modes, which include timed schedule, thermal load, and electrical load modes.

Massimo Belluzzi (aged 53) - mbelluzzi@cpl.it Project Manager, Concordia, Emilia area

A

t the end of 2010, the Modena branch of Italy’s national health service approved a decision to assign the working design and construction of a cogeneration plant at the Sant’Agostino Estense New Hospital in Baggiovara (complete with follow-up maintenance and operation) to the temporary consortium headed by CPL CONCORDIA. The CHP plant was positioned inside a building measuring 340 sqm, near the hospital’s thermal power station and between the existing cooling towers and HERA gas substation.

The work, which began in January 2012, was completed in July 2013, respecting the deadlines despite the suspension we were forced to apply following the earthquake in May 2012. The cogeneration plant consists of two Jenbacher natural gas-fuelled internal combustion engines, each of which provides an output of 1,130 kWe, combined with equipment for recovering thermal energy and all the emission abatement and control systems. The two engines are housed inside soundproof casings, equipped with forced ventilation systems, featuring (for each one) silencers and suction pipe, three fans with a total flow of 56,000 cbm, and extraction silencers and conduits.

The plant produces both thermal power (hot water at temperatures of up to 93°C) and electricity, via the combustion of natural gas (with LHV of 8,250 Kcal/Nm³) in two internal combustion engines coupled to two Leroy-Somer three-phase synchronous electrical

generators. The flue system of each cogenerator consists of an oxidising catalyst (post-treatment of CO emissions below 300 mg/Nm3), a flanged steel flue, a silencer (noise abatement: 35 dbA at 1 m above ground level) and a double-walled chimney with metal trellis frame measuring 14 m in height.

The CHP plant features two independent cogeneration modules which are managed by a single Siemens Desigo supervision system. Each power generator is guaranteed to be able to operate fully independently (with one engine on and the other off, with one operating at 100% of the rated load and the other running at partial load, etc).

The system can be run in various operating modes, which are selected by the operator using simply a software selector and include: • timed schedule - using a scheduler, the operator sets the operating times and the electrical power generated by the cogenerators; • thermal load - the cogenerators are set up to maintain the set points configured by the operator for the heating circuit delivery (90°C) and return (65°C) flows within the heating plant; • electrical load with no thermal load check - the cogenerators are set up to maintain the set points configured for the electricity purchased or fed into the grid; • thermal load without surplus electricity production - the cogenerators are set up to maintain the set points configured by the operator for the heating circuit delivery (90°C) and return (65°C) flows within the heating plant. In the event that surplus power is generated, the cogenerators are demodulated to

POWER RECOVERY AND EMISSION CONTROL The cogeneration plant consists of two natural gas-fuelled internal combustion engines, each of which provides an output of 1,130 kWe, combined with equipment for recovering thermal energy and all the emission abatement and control systems.

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

avoid feeding electricity into the grid. The electricity produced by the generators is consumed by user devices installed in the hospital facilities and any surplus is fed into the national grid.

The generation plant is designed to operate in parallel with the national power grid, which means that, in the event of power failures or network disturbances leading to safety thresholds being surpassed, the Interface Protection System (IPS) will intervene, activating the medium voltage switch known as the Interface Device (ID). The cogenerated thermal energy is carried

Detail of double-walled flue with 14 m-high metal trellis frame.

Located inside the hospital complex in Baggiovara (MO), the plant produces thermal power (hot water supplied at 93°C) and electricity, generated from natural gas.

via pipelines (part underground and part exposed) to the thermal power plant, which is connected via an extraction device for the two hot water and heating return circuits of the main boilers employed solely for the user devices in the hospital facilities. It also features a link to the service centre’s hot water circuit.

All variables related to energy consumption (natural gas) and the power produced (electricity, thermal) are acquired by the Desigo supervisory system and interfaced with the current Energy Team energy audit system already installed at the hospital.

FOCUS ON

New power plant passes energy consumption test The numbers

BEFORE

the renovation 24,800,000 kWh/year

Electricity used (all purchased)

2,700,000 cbm Natural gas used

The numbers

AFTER

the renovation 11,010,560 kWh/year Electricity purchased

13,789,440 kWh/year

Electricity produced by cogeneration

5,229,000 cbm Natural gas used

1,506 TOE (-22%) Reduction in usage

Annual SAVING â‚Ź680,000

How much the local branch of the health service has saved during the first eight years. Once the final lease instalments has been paid off, the savings will increase further.

One of the two Jenbacher internal combustion engines fuelled by natural gas, each with a capacity of 1,130 kWe. The inverters, located on the roof of the plant, are connected to the engine heat sinks.

First “stone” of the future Polish power industry laid in Pila Joka CPL is building Poland’s largest power station featuring natural gas-fuelled internal combustion engines to provide heating for the city’s residents via a district heating network. The plant management activities and new opportunities in gas, cogeneration, and RESs will be monitored from the new offices in Lodz.

Construction work on the building due to house the CHP plant Two moments in the first stone-laying ceremony at the construction site in Pila

Michele Gavioli (aged 49) migavioli@cpl.it Project Manager, Poland

O

n 5th September at the construction site located in the city of Pila, in Poland, the ceremony to celebrate the laying of the ”cornerstone” of the new cogeneration plant was attended by representative of various authorities, including the city’s mayor, Piotr Glowski, and prominent political figures, including a number of Polish MPs, as well as numerous guests from groups of investors and industry operators. Particularly significant was the presence of certain representatives of governmental authorities responsible for the use of European funds for energy, as well as various directors of council-run heat distribution companies and Polish certification companies. During this event, akin to the traditional first stone-laying ceremony, a short commemorative document was signed by all the authorities present and embedded in the foundation casting.

The ceremony, which was also attended by the deputy chairman of CPL CONCORDIA, Mario Guarnieri, represented a significant event for CPL group, as it offered Pawel Igniaczak, Director of Sales of our joint venture, CPL Joka, the opportunity to provide guests with a presentation of the many activities that our company - now a multinational - can develop locally in terms of cogeneration for public utilities. Today, the Pila project – with a generation capacity of over 10 megawatts of thermal power and the same again for electricity – is Poland’s largest power station.

With natural gas-fuelled engines serving a district heating network, it will become a major showcase for the company, allowing us to provide future references and develop plans to promote the construction of other facilities of this kind.

In the first quarter of 2014, new legislation is expected which will encourage the production of electricity and heat from renewable and non-renewable sources, which will finally provide

a realistic overview of market prospects. This new legislation is awaited with bated breath by all the major European players in the power industry. It is already well known that Poland is an attractive market in the short/medium term, offering great currently untapped - potential due to the massive dependence of domestic consumption on the old fleet of coal-powered facilities, which currently represent over 90% of the country’s energy mix.

The actual prospects linked to diversification of energy sources - in compliance with and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol programs advocated by the European Union - could represent an enormous boost for the development of power plants (fuelled by natural gas or renewable energy sources), as well as the power distribution grid, all of which are areas where CPL Group’s skills can guarantee proactive participation.

With this in mind, a new office has been opened in the centre of Lodz - Poland’s third largest city, located 120 km southwest of Warsaw - in order to ensure constant, active monitoring of the market. Going back to the ceremony in Pila though, apart from media interest in the event, the significant progress of the construction activities on site was also appreciable, with the structural part of the power plant building now nearing completion. We expect to finish the thermal power station before the sub-zero temperatures hit and then complete the plant engineering during spring 2014.

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

CPL sets out to win over Mexico with EDOR system CPL-branded natural gas odorisation monitoring system chosen by multinational group Gas Natural Fenosa for network measurements in the Central American city of Monterrey. Apart from supply services, CPL will be training local technicians on equipment operation.

Euro Crespi (aged 44) - ecrespi@cpl.it Maintenance, Analysis, and Odoweb portal Manager, Department of Equipment & Services for Natural Gas

I

n 2013, the Department of Equipment & Services for Natural Gas first set foot in Mexico, with one of its leading products, the EDOR system for monitoring natural gas odorisation rates, which is used as a fixed measuring station. The customer, Gas Natural Fenosa, is the largest integrated gas and electricity operator in Spain and Latin America, and CPL CONCORDIA has been working with the company for over a decade now. Gas Natural Fenosa Group is one of the world’s leading multinational energy groups, with 170 years of history to its name, a presence in over 25 countries, and over 20 million customers around the world. It is one of the largest operators of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Mediterranean and Atlantic markets, where it has gained expertise in the design, construction, and management of regassification infrastructures. It has also been operating in Italy since 2002, trading as Gas Natural Distribuzione Italia S.p.A., where it works under a public service concession agreement, both directly and through its subsidiaries, performing natural gas distribution activities.

At the end of 2011, the company covered a total of approximately 450,000 gas delivery points in over 250 Italian towns and cities.

The Italian link with Gas Natural, built up from working together in the field of remote monitoring and odorisation systems, was the means by which we struck up our relationship with the Spanish company’s management, then going on to introduce the product to the transatlantic market. The first supplies to Spanish customers included twenty or so EDOR systems and was followed up by a

supply to the city of Monterrey, in northeast Mexico, the capital city of the state of Nuevo Leòn with a population of around 4 million. The CPL supply includes 16 odorant monitoring systems, whose new version has been developed with a ModBUS serial output, allowing us to expand the range of solutions and equipment available. In this first phase, the monitoring units are undergoing assessment to check for correct operation, and a further order is planned, which will take the number of units supplied up to 50. During the week that my colleague, Simone Pavesi, and I spent there, we enjoyed friendly and cooperative relations with the Mexican customers right from the start. At that time, as well as working together with the Gas Natural technicians to install the first monitoring system, we also provided the training required for the local staff, to ensure they could handle routine equipment operation issues on their own. It is only through building a trust-based relationship with the customer, by creating qualified local maintenance engineers, that we can aspire to expand within the international arena. It is essential to control and supervise the management of the instruments, while also establishing the necessary network of associates/customers to respond promptly, whatever situation may arise. What is more, a foreign market must also be confident that the product has a solid base in its country of origin. We have to ensure our intentions and interests are shared, and guarantee proper knowledge transfer to ensure the technologies of the products installed are fully appreciated. Most of all, we have to make it clear to the customer that overseas, in Italy, there is a company which is responsible for the development of the product and all the knowledge associated with it, whose qualified technicians offer decades of experience in the world of gas odorisation.

FOCUS ON

The secrets of our odorant monitoring system EDOR:

A high-tech concentrate external ECU: microprocessor with GSM modem, acquisition circuit, and intrinsic safety barrier; analyser: an easily interchangeable (snap-in) electrochemical odorant concentration sensing cell; main circuit gas cut-off solenoid valve, activated by timed opening; an optional solenoid valve for the automatic periodic calibration circuit, with a sample bottle of gas.

Measurements are normally carried out four times a day (standard version) and sent via a remote communication device (modem), in the form of daily text messages. EDOR can be installed in odorisation plants (for monitoring odorant delivery), at intermediate points that are highly representative of the network’s status, or at the network terminals, to obtain accurate measurements of how much odorant reaches the user.

One of the �Mexican� EDOR devices, photographed on site The Gas Natural office in Monterrey, where training courses were held for the Mexican staff

17

Green ceramics manufacturing starts with Sant’Agostino Natural gas-fuelled CHP plant with 3,354 kWe capacity built in Ferrara for ceramics manufacturers Sant’Agostino S.p.A. Eletricity supplied in parallel with grid or off-grid, to ensure power supplies to equipment in the event of power failures.

Ceramica Sant’Agostino S.p.A., Ferrara-based leader in the production of ceramic and porcelain stoneware tiles.

infeed. For CPL CONCORDIA, this was yet another in a long line of examples of excellent design synchronicity. A demonstration of how combining quality materials and special measures in a plant’s construction leads to satisfying results for both the end customer and the manufacturer. Further added value is offered by the cogeneration plant monitoring and supervision system, which meets the customer’s requirements, ranging from the logging of all the plant operation data to the reading of the various meters for billing and accounts purposes, from access to incentives via white certificates, to interfacing with the rest of the production establishment. Particular attention has also been paid to the flue gas recovery. Along with the technicians and engineers at Ceramica Sant’Agostino, we managed to create a system for interfacing with the monitoring system for the spray dryer inside the ceramics works, which meant we were able to optimise recovery of the flue gas without damaging the material

Luca Preo (aged 29) - lpreo@cpl.it Project Technician, Padua North East area

O

On 19th May 2012, CPL CONCORDIA was arranging the pre-commissioning stage for the new CHP plant for ceramics manufacturer Ceramica Sant’Agostino S.p.A., when, at 04:03 a.m. the following day, the unthinkable happened. A severe earthquake hit the area, causing the tragic consequences with which we are all now familiar. The events of the construction of the power plant in Ferrara, contracted to CPL CONCORDIA by Ceramica Sant’Agostino S.p.A, can be traced from this catastrophic moment.

Ceramica Sant’Agostino S.p.A., leader in the manufacture of ceramic and porcelain stoneware tiles, has made a name for itself, over 15 years of business, through its use of systems that limit carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere. In 1996, the Ferrara-based company installed its first CHP plant featuring a Bergen Rolls Royce engine, and then in 2008, it installed two photovoltaic plants. After around 15 years of use, the ceramics business decided to decommission the old cogeneration plant in favour of a larger one. CPL Concordia won the contract to renew the system, which included the installation of a new module featuring a natural gas-fuelled GE Jenbacher JGS620 engine. Less than four months after the contract was signed, following a tightknit working relationship between the engineers and technicians at Ceramica Sant’Agostino and those at CPL in the Padua area, we managed to deliver a 3,354 kWe cogeneration plant ready for pre-commissioning operations. After around eight months of forced standstill due to the earthquake, which hit the ceramics manufacturer particularly hard, the pre-commissioning works were resumed on the cogeneration system in February 2013 and completed at the end of the month, with the plant’s definitive start-up. The final inspection and testing activities were then performed, which brought back results ranging from over 44% for the performance of the electricity supply unit to over 1,600 kW of thermal power recovered and reused in the form of hot water, as well as over 2,000 kW mixed in with the hot air at the spray dryer

3,354 kWe 1,607 kW total recoverable thermal power 2,000 kW recovered from flue gas contained within the dryer. In keeping with the customer’s requirements, it was planned that, as well as the standard operation in parallel to the grid (i.e. with the engine running only when connected to the electricity mains), the cogeneration plant would also work off-grid, in accordance with the electrical loads of certain preferential user devices installed in the production plant.

In practice, in the event of an electrical failure, the engine can guarantee normal operation by powering certain machines which would otherwise be out of use. Measures like this, or like the interface outlined above for the recovery of the flue gases, show how CPL CONCORDIA and Ceramica Sant’Agostino have worked in synergy to maximise the capabilities of the CHP plant. This unquestionably fruitful partnership has confirmed our position as the ideal partner for the synergistic construction of medium/ large CHP plants in highly complex industrial businesses, both in Italy and abroad.

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

Italian-made energy goes on display Bruno Santorelli (aged 46) North Africa Sales Manager

bsantorelli@cpl.it

Oran - Algeria all set for cogeneration

‘Once upon a time ...’ would appear to be the perfect way to start this story, as oil and gas are the first things that spring to mind when thinking about Algeria. But this is not a story about faroff times, if you look at Algeria now, the enormous potential for renewable energies it offers is just waiting to be developed, and the country is aware of this. In fact, Algeria revealed its new calling with the publication of the decree n. 13-218, issue last June with the aim of diversifying the sources of electricity production through the purchase of electricity at guaranteed rates. The decree also aims to make investment in RESs financially viable. So, it is hoped that a series of local entities will be established, with a double objective, i.e. to increase local skills in the emerging industry and

Angelo Guerrieri (aged 42) - aguerrieri@cpl.it Sales Department, Area Manager, North East Area

The Switch - Bologna changes its approach to energy

On 18th to 19th October, backed by the Bologna City Council and sponsored by the Emilia-Romagna Regional council and the Kyoto Club, the Switch communication project was presented to the city’s inhabitants and businesses with conferences, workshops, and activities for children and young people. CPL CONCORDIA was invited to take part in the opening conference on ”Sustainable energy practices in public authorities and the service sector”, on the analysis of the best practices and how to operationalise the Plan of Action for Sustainable Energy spearheaded by Bologna City

create a network of micro-producers. Within this setting, ERA 4, Algeria’s most important fair on clean energy, renewable energy sources, and sustainable development, now in its fourth year, was held in the city of Oran in October, with the sponsorship of Algerian President Bouteflika. On the strength of its skills and experience in Italy, CPL CONCORDIA Group took part in the event with a view to exporting technology and know-how to Algeria, also increasing its presence in the country (as always) through the development of local resources. The participation of AIPOWER (Algerian CPL Group member that has been working in the Maghreb for years) has also been noted by the Wali of Oran, the governor of the province, who - keen to provide encouragement - visited the stand with his entourage, asking for details on the projects and goals. CHP and biogas are still new words in Algeria but they could very soon become part of the country’s everyday language.

The industry’s potential is great, and the investments the government is making are appropriately large and in line with objectives. This could be a new dawn for Algeria and, one day, we will be able to say ”CPL was there, and AI Power too.”

Council. Our company is a supporter of the project titled ”BEXT, energy to change Bologna”, which outlines the strategic guidelines for smart development within the Bologna metropolitan area. The BEXT project, which is current in the closing/publication stage, involved an examination of issues including energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and smart energy management within public authorities. The two key issues underlying the project are energy and environment, which has led to an integrated approach, in which companies, businesses, and authorities contribute to the regeneration of the economy, as well as a new energy-awareness and better quality of urban life. CPL’s involvement has highlighted our cooperative as a key player in the energy efficiency industry within the Bologna metropolitan area.

This participation will include a prominent role in the activities in the Navile neighbourhood and, afterwards, in the dissemination of these achievements among the authorities and businesses.

Andrea Grilli (aged 43) agrilli@cpl.it Export Manager

CPL takes Synfon cogenerator to Chile Last November, CPL CONCORDIA exhibited at the Expocorma fair in Conception, Chile, showcasing Synfon, a ”plug and play” CHP plant for the production of electricity and heat from biomass (wood chips). Visitors to the Chilean trade fair expressed considerable interest in the pyrolysis process and the production of syngas (synthesis gas). For the woodchip plants, potential customers already have the raw material available and need plants with capacities of over 45 kWe and at least 1 MW of power, while also requiring technical and managerial skills for the operation of the power systems.

At the Expocorma, the CPL representatives met up with companies interested in cogeneration on a larger scale, linked to biogas plants running on urban sewage sludge, and on organic animal, vegetable, and waste matter. Even the local gas companies, electricity companies, and companies investing or operating in the RES industry showed an interest in CPL as a technology partner for the operational management of the cogeneration modules. The trip to Chile also included a meeting with the agency designated to handle energy efficiency, public tenders, and projects concerning heat management and maintenance engineering for hospitals. In 2014, we also expect to participate in tenders for public lighting and waste disposal centres.

Cesare Cremonesi (aged 58) cesare.cremonesi@biogengas.it Chairman of Biogengas

Biogengas at Cremona International Exhib

The International Dairy Cattle Exhibition, the fair that Italian and European dairy cattle breeders look to, takes place in Cremona. In this, the exhibition’s 68th year, Biogengas trained its spotlights on a 100 kWe biogas cogeneration unit, set up by CPL CONCORDIA and already sold to a farm called Azienda Agricola S. Stefano. Owned

by F.lli Facchinetti and located in Brignano Gera d’Adda, in the province of Bergamo, Biogengas is currently building a biogas plant fuelled solely with livestock waste on the agricultural premises. The stand attracted great interest from breeders who, with the construction of a small biogas plant (just 100 kW), can supplement their business income, which is currently penalised by the low milk prices forced upon them. The many long-time customers of Cremonesi (a Biogengas partner) also appreciated the direct involvement of CPL in the construction of complete plants, which guarantees operational efficiency and production reliability over time.

As regards difficulties in accessing funding, with the help of the CPL finance department, we have set up facilities with major Italian banks to enable customer borrowing and we are also working actively with investors and sponsors interested in financing small plants.

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Massimo Grassilli (aged 53) mgrassilli@cpl.it Settore ICT

Remote monitoring for LPG tanks at the World LP Gas Forum in London

From 1st to 3rd October 2013, CPL CONCORDIA took part in London’s 26th WORLD LP GAS FORUM, the annual international trade fair for manufacturers of equipment and plants for LPG. CPL was invited as the guest of SACIGAS S.r.l. from Assago, a manufacturer of equipment and plants for LPG, with which our company is finalising an agreement to provide them with a remote monitoring system complete with systems for single users, for use in apartment blocks and pipeline networks.

The remote monitoring system features a tank level sensor (a new product, still to be developed), an F4 meter (which will be replaced by the EG4 model later on), a 169 MHz data concentrator, data acquisition software, billing software, and software for optimising tank refill frequency. A new brochure was produced for the occasion, concentrating specifically on remote monitoring of LPG plants.

Visitors to the stand were able to explore the F4 meter personally. During the event, considerable interest was shown by certain international companies in both the remote monitoring system and the meter, and particularly in the gas supply check valve featured.

169 Live Show, the multi-service businesses lie here

In Milan, CPL CONCORDIA presented its new technologies for gas and electricity metering, including NFC mobile phones for identification and payment purposes, electronic household meters, and remote reading experiments with 169MHz radio frequency and GSM/GPRS/3G technology. The show included the participation of the Italian universities of Cassino, Castellanza, and Modena and Reggio Emilia, as well as specialist companies in the industry.

Two moments at the workshop in Milan: 100 operators, the Italian universities and the CPL CONCORDIA engineers and technicians explore electronic technologies

audience an opportunity to discover the NFC applications in the gas industry with a literally hands-on approach (see Focus article). Prof.

Marco Dell’Isola (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino), meanwhile, provided an analysis of the complex issue of multi-service smart metering. Outlining the reasons why we should be enhancing the intelligence levels of metering systems, he explained how, in the near future, the environmental sustainability of our society will depend on the transition to a greater awareness of consumption issues and self-imposed reductions in power usage. He then demonstrated a first practical application of the multi-service system, with colleagues Stefano Tondelli and Andrea Cavazzoni. With the introduction of new electronic meters for measuring both household gas use and the network infrastructure,

Tiziano Zocchi (aged 51) - tzocchi@cpl.it Sales Director for plants, services, and computer systems for natural gas

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n Tuesday, 24th September 2013, CPL CONCORDIA organised a day of discussion, focusing on technical and scientific issues which will bring new life to the world of gas metering and much more besides. The meeting was held on the welcoming premises of the Riccardo Catella Foundation, which is located in a part of Milan’s old town that is currently experiencing a new lease of life thanks to the Porta Nuova Neighbourhood renewal project, a programme that aims to bring together areas of greenery, bold modern architecture, and historical buildings. Before a captive audience of industry engineers and technicians (around one hundred), a number of representatives from Italian academia, working together with the CPL technicians and engineers, provided practical demonstrations (hence the name Live Show) to illustrate how modern electronic technologies can introduce significant new products and features within a world that is traditionally loyal to tried and tested mechanical measurement technologies.

University professor Giacomo Buonanno and engineer Mauro Mezzenzana, from LabID at the University of Castellanza, guided the audience through a journey into the future, where NFC phones will become handheld service centres.

With this new technology, users will be able to book cinema tickets, pay for public transport, provide personal identification to authorities, pay for a coffee in a cafe or the gas bill at home and, why not, even make phone calls! All these possibilities were unimaginable even just a few years ago, but nowadays, they are no longer far from everyday reality. One application example is the Smart City Project, which was implemented in the city of Varese, in association with LabID, and which allows users to adopt NFC mobile phones as a means of advanced identification and payment. A coworker at CPL, Eligio Bertoli, offered the increasingly interested

via remote reading, a range of exciting multi-service opportunities will be opening up. We will be able to put all the potential offered by the network to use and, as a result, cut costs. The Italian Electricity and Gas Authority has approved adoption of the 169 MHz frequency for the first part of the infrastructure for remote reading of domestic gas meters (direct from the meter to the data concentrator, i.e. the unit which collects the data from multiple associated counters), while

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GSM/GPRS/3G technology will be employed for the second part (running from the data concentrator to the data centre).

After developing the 169 MHz radio part of the ‘eG4’ household gas meter and the data concentrator, CPL CONCORDIA contacted a major Italian water provider, MADDALENA S.p.A., which has developed and is already using technology to send usage data, via radio at 868 MHz, from water meters and calorimeters to a mobile receiver unit. This led to an interesting synergy resulting in the development of an optional 868 MHz radio board specifically designed for the eG4, which will allow automatic reception of data from the MADDALENA S.p.A. water meters and calorimeters and use of the 169 MHz radio board (featured in the eG4 as standard) and use of the same remote reading infrastructure to transmit the consumption data (in this case, gas meters + water meters + calorimeters) to the CPL data centre.

This means that the CPL multiuility group can offer a full range of remote reading products for future electronic household gas meters and, through the ongoing development of our technologies, we can also guarantee a wide range of multi-service options (water, heating, electricity, LPG). Finally, the discussion moved on to an issue which will be will affecting all Italian natural gas distributors in the coming years, i.e. the construction of the 169 MHz network on which the electronic smart meters will operate.

Without going into the principles established by Guglielmo Marconi (Italian pioneer in the field of radio frequency), any time the topic of radio waves comes up, most people immediately think of complex formulas and obscure theorems.

To some extent this is true, but in order to dispel the myth, CPL invited Giorgio Matteo Vitetta to speak at the event. Professor at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, expert, and author

of numerous books on the subject, Giorgio Matteo Vitetta gave a brief but illuminating speech on a topic that is inaccessible to most people. Once again, after the theory, Nicola Tobia and Stefano Tondelli demonstrated the activities carried out on-site over in recent months. The trialling performed by CPL CONCORDIA concerning communication at 169 MHz for remote electronic meter reading focused on two main aspects. The first was linked to radio communication in an urban environment and was implemented using special testing devices installed in the same settings where household gas meters are usually found. The results delivered from this first stage have thrown up observations on communication stability in an urban environment, highlighting the importance of the height of the concentrator antenna depending on where the meters are located.

The second aspect concerns the channel modelling. We are creating a mathematical model that will predict the radio coverage in different settings, such as old towns/city centres, the outskirts of cities, and rural and industrial areas. We will therefore be able to provide a hard estimate of costs and plan out the layout of the equipment with a high degree of reliability. A day spent hard at work, with participants glued to their chairs in an attempt to understand exactly where metering and communication technology will be taking us over the next few years. A day well spent, proving that the group work done by CPL in recent years was the right approach, i.e. anticipating the market rather than chasing after it. Ours is an enthusiastic group of young people who are proud of what they do and try to think outside the box. ”Creativity is just connecting things” said Steve Jobs. Well, we’re trying.

Contributors to this article: Eligio Bertoli (aged 48), Sara Cavazza (29), Nicola Tobia (28), and Stefano Tondelli (27).

FOCUS ON

Now power meters can be topped up using mobile phones

Energy Wallet® is the CPL CONCORDIA app for Android unveiled at the 169 Live Show. Designed to manage prepayments for gas meters via top-up cards or mobile phones, it also displays consumption directly on smartphones and tablets.

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he Energy Wallet® application, which fits into the smart metering product line, is based on the availability of this kind of measuring and reading products, such as CPL’s new F4 meter, which features Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This short-range communication technology, similar to that employed in access control badges, allows prepayment management for gas meters (already possible for LPG and expected soon for natural gas) through the use of contactless cards or mobile phones. This technology also allows water, electricity, gas, and heat usage to be displayed directly on devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as on a display unit at the house concerned (in-home display), and also allows users to view the amounts payable for the power consumed, encouraging individual households to make energy savings. Spurred on by Resolution n.

155/08 on remote monitoring, Energy Wallet® is also finds consensus in Directive 2012/27/EU, which concerns completing energy efficiency measures by 2020 and therefore promotes practical action aimed directly at the end consumer, oriented towards providing information, raising awareness, and, as a result, constant monitoring of consumption by the user. Now the end customer can benefit from CPL’s experience in the energy sector and in IT, by receiving usage information and advice directly on their phone or tablet via the CPL WEB portal. To save on utility bills and foster a green economy at home, users that optimise will come out winning.

Visit www.cpl.it to view the section on the Energy Wallet® app, where you will find an outline of its functions and features, as well as the directives it meets.

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Pioneers for international exchange

“Pioneers Into Practice” - part of the European project on climate change within the framework of the Climate-KIC programme - has brought Spanish engineer Javier Belando’s experience in energy audits to CPL.

Some of the key figures in the international exchange programme: Tanja Gavioli Alexander Tralli, Spanish ‘pioneer ‘ Javier Belando and Dario Marastoni

Tanja Gavioli (aged 31) tgavioli@cpl.it Human Resources department

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t CPL CONCORDIA, an international essence pervades. In the chairman’s speeches and the ever-growing number of joint ventures with partners from different nations, in the intensification of the global network for projects with universities and other public- and private-sector entities, and in the financial goals for the coming years and the spreading dedication to foreign languages learning, it is omnipresent. Within this atmosphere, oriented towards self-improvement and opening up opportunities outside Italy, vocational training and applied research represent CPL’s first venture into the international exchange programme “Pioneers Into Practice” (PIP). Part of the European project on climate change, within the framework of the ClimateKIC programme, PIP is one of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology which aims to boost excellence, innovation, and growth in Europe. It originates from the goal of creating a new generation of low-carbon innovators with the skills to manage innovation for a society with reduced CO2 emissions. In essence, this international mobility programme facilitates ‘in & out’ exchange by experts on climate change in partner regions, which - this year - were Emilia Romagna (Italy),

Hessen (Germany), West Midlands (UK), Valencian Community (Spain), Central Hungary (Hungary) and Lower Silesia (Poland). In Emilia Romagna, access to the project is free and it is mediated by Aster, a consortium comprising the EmiliaRomagna regional council, universities, Italy’s national research centre and ENEA (the Italian national agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development), as well as trade associations and Unioncamere (the Italian chambers of commerce association) which promotes innovation in manufacturing, the development of facilities and services for industrial and strategic research, as well as cooperation between the research world and industry, and the development of human capital engaged in these areas. Aster acts as a link between pioneer candidates and host organisations, including CPL, matching up partners based on skills, objectives, and project proposals.

CPL is involved in the programme as regional and international host and Javier Belando, energy efficiency specialist at the company Rema Valencia (Spain), was selected as meeting corporate requirements, above all due to his activities with local universities concerning environmental management and technological innovation. Given the background of this ‘pioneer’, he fitted effortlessly into the group led by Paolo Barbieri, within which he had Alexander Tralli as tutor and direct contact for his energy auditing and certification

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activities (see Focus article on next page). This international exchange experience has brought tangible results.

From a technical viewpoint, the ‘pioneer’ embarked on a particularly hands-on journey, accompanied by CPL colleagues, in the form of a specific project. As regards linguistic improvement, the PIP has enabled all the team members to better their skills in general, business, & informal English. English is the official language of exchange, so the group was able to work on that full time, throughout the project (enhanced by regular opportunities to practise the ‘pioneer’s own language, Spanish).

In terms of partnerships, PIP has encouraged networking between public and private companies participating in the programme, through dedicated appointments and meetings. Finally, this exchange-oriented approach could have major returns in terms of image. Javier commented on his experience at CPL with the words: “My experience with CPL was very positive, right from the start I had things to do... I got on well with the people I met and everyone was very willing to work with me”. Given the outcome of this experiment, we can now expect an increasing number of exchange projects. These opportunities can bring other significant results at international level, fostering business relationships with foreign customers and suppliers, furthering relationships with public institutions, and spreading corporate identity.

CNews n. 43 - december 2013

FOCUS ON

Italy/Spain/USA for energy saving the software challenge Thanks to the presence of our Spanish ‘pioneer’ Javier Belando, CPL has explored various tools and methodologies for performing energy audits on a 4-star hotel.

Alessandro Tralli (aged 30) atralli@cpl.it Environmental Markets Manager, Engineering Division Dario Marastoni (aged 29) dmarastoni@cpl.it Energy Auditor, Engineering division

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n the early days of October 2013, the Heat Management & Global Service department (S4), which handles energy efficiency and sustainability, performed an energy audit on the 4-star Concordia Hotel, located in the province of Modena, to identify additional efficiency measures to introduce in

the building in order to pare down consumption of energy carriers. For the collection and processing of data and analyses, we took full advantage of the experience offered by Javier Belando, our Spanish ‘pioneer’ from the international Pioneers Into Practice programme, who spent four weeks with the CPL CONCORDIA project team.

Through this opportunity, we were able to compare both different methods for performing audits and also the EDILCLIMA calculation software used

by CPL auditors (Donato Maioriello and Dario Marastoni) with the Spanish software, LIDER, used by Javier at his own company in Seville. What

emerged from this teamwork was that the calculation logics behind both are extremely similar and that, when changing climate data, the results pretty much overlap (± 5% difference in terms of overall energy needs).

We also discovered new freeware that can be used in foreign markets, such as the U.S. EnergyPlus software.

In the coming months, in light of this important experience, the team will keep on with its auditing work so that CPL CONCORDIA can obtain ISO 50001 certification for its Energy Management System.

Emilia Romagna Regional Council calls upon CPL for South Africa CPL CONCORDIA has been invited to join discussions with the Emilia-Romagna regional council, to promote Italian expertise in the environmental and energy field within the emerging African market.

Paolo Barbieri (aged 29) pbarbieri@cpl.it Energy Procurement Manager Andrea Gambuzzi (aged 27) agambuzzi@cpl.it Technician of Heat Management and Energy Department

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n 19th September this year, a meeting was held in Bologna between representatives of the Emilia-Romagna Regional Council, HERA energy provider, CPL CONCORDIA, Roncucci & Partners, and a South African delegation, to explore new opportunities to join forces. Prior to that, in April, at PEWA (the Power & Electricity World Africa, held in Johannesburg), a team of representatives from CPL CONCORDIA had attended a series of meetings organised in order to examine South Africa’s current and future energy policies and identify job opportunities.

The event, which is Africa’s most important energy fair, attracts major global players from the industry to a country whose potential and prospects now mean that is often included among the emerging countries, with the result that it is not uncommon now to hear the acronym BRIC changed to BRICS. The invitation from the regional council

to attend the meeting in Bologna offered recognition of the proven professionalism and quality of services offered by our cooperative, as well as the extraordinary range of skills. The meeting was held at the end of a tour by the South African committee which included, among other things, a visit to the CPL-built 6.2 megawatt PV plant installed on the roof of Bologna’s CAAB buildings. The meeting, which took place at the council’s head offices on Viale Aldo Moro, Bologna, allowed us to enter into discussions with the Regional Councillor for Productive Activities, Gian Carlo Muzzarelli, a delegation led

by Justice Bekebeke (Director-General for the Northern Cape Provincial Government), the general operations manager of HERA, Roberto Barili, and the heads of Roncucci & Partners, in order to promote new opportunities for trade and exchange views on educational and cultural projects, as well as projects for decentralised international cooperation. The South African government is actually implementing a new political and economic strategy which, starting with the development of the educational and research

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system, will create jobs and social wellbeing. The agreements reached will allow the businesses and other entities from the Emilia-Romagna region to participate in the economic and social development of the Northern Cape Province, particularly in terms of green economy, land reclamation, and water management, through an innovative, integrated approach designed to promote Italian technology and knowhow linked to the environment and energy (an industry in which CPL is one of the leading names) within the South African market. What we see before us is yet another prospective partnership with all the prerequisites to create job opportunities and major synergies abroad (in a rapidly-growing country like South Africa) and which fits perfectly in with our far-sighted approach and propensity to look beyond the domestic crisis and national horizons.

CNews n. 43 - december 2013

THE FIVE COOPERATIVES IN FREIBURG Together with CPL CONCORDIA, four other cooperatives from Italy’s Emilia region took part in the study visit organised by Quadir as part of the Central Europe FORT project, namely Abitcoop (Andrea Prampolini), Unieco (Michele Bergonzini), CCPL Energy (Andrea Biggi) and Vita Futura (Emilio Bigi).

Emilia-based co-ops studying Freiburg’s eco-districts

Study visit for five Emilian co-ops to German sustainable neighbourhoods.

Meetings in Vauban and Riesenfeld with designers, architects, and project managers, as well as residents and community centres skilled at promoting a collective dream, i.e. investing in the community.

Barbara Lodi (aged 37) blodi@cpl.it Head of Specialisation in Energy Plants and District Heating Networks, Engineering Division

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his summer I received an intriguing phone call from the Human Resources Manager, Jenny Padula, in which she informed me of a trip to Freiburg which had been won by CPL. In fact, as part of the MIC, the Masters organised by Legacoop, a working group with which one of my co-workers, Enrico Benetti, had developed a project had been awarded first prize at the Ecomondo 2012 fair. The theme was best business idea linked to sustainable building, energy conservation, new building materials, new materials for furniture and domotics. The award consisted of a cross-innovation voucher for €5,000 usable for the purchase of services made available by the FORT project (Fostering continuous Research and Technologies application) for the promotion of ongoing research and the application of technology. I was therefore chosen, thanks to Enrico, for this encounter with the Freiburg delegation on the

development of the energy element of the project. As examples of some of Europe’s most famous sustainable neighbourhoods, known as ecodistricts, Vauban and Rieselfeld are the outcome of a valuable partnership between the city of Freiburg, its residents, and a number of businesses and professionals (architects, energy planners). A significant role has also been played by the private initiatives undertaken. During a whirlwind two days, we visited the two eco-districts and met up with designers, architects and project managers, who filled us in on the local economy and on the project’s economic and financial feasibility. We had meetings with residents and community centres in the neighbourhoods, including a workshop on the main problems encountered during the construction of eco-districts as well as the residents’ involvement and integration. We met engineer Klaus Siegl, who is Rieselfeld Agency ‘s project manager for the project in the Rieselfeld neighbourhood, to discuss issues such as organising the sale of the land, neighbourhood structuring (social diversity), flexible facilities for

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the aging of the population, financing methods, production systems involving cogeneration, biomass fuels, and district heating networks. The visit to Freiburg has shown how important it is to be a part of all decision-making processes.

Partnerships between local authorities, inhabitants, and professionals has led to the construction of highly innovative neighbourhoods with great scope for social interaction. Importing these models into Italy is a huge challenge, which can only be overcome through a cultural leap forwards. We have to foster a collective dream, setting aside our own personal interests for a moment and investing in the community.

Our commitment, our work, and the commitment underlying our cooperative activities could be heightened still further, becoming even more enriching than we could ever imagine today. We are sure that this will bring further opportunities to demonstrate how cooperation can be innovative and still uphold its social and solidarity values, by combining the tradition of responding to community needs and new environment and energy saving issues at the same time.

Those who Pionieri pershare with l’interscambio others grow with them internazionale The Sustainability Report presentation tour, which included 12 cities and the involvement of 665 people, confirmed the interest in the report and the need for exchange between workers, managers, and cooperative members on the corporate.

The presentation of the Sustainability Report at the Sant’Omero office in Teramo. 23rd October 2013

Marco Dal Dosso (aged 36) mdaldosso@cpl.it CSR Manager

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65 was the attendance figure for the presentation tour for the Sustainability Report 2012.

A major success for myself, for the management (whose power of conviction has always been a driving force behind this experience), but also and especially for CPL, the labour production cooperative with 1360 employees and 821 cooperative members to its name.

Page 2 of the Sustainability Report 2012 lists the 21 colleagues without whose work this challenging edition would have been impossible. Their help has been invaluable, allowing us to forge ahead with the gradual, yet continuous improvement, which has always inspired our work. The tour, which is now in its seventh year, is keenly awaited by the entire corporate framework and the external stakeholders, who see the event as an opportunity for exchange on the dynamics and future developments of the CPL group as a whole.

The first stop was in Rome (9th October), and the tour continued through Naples, Arezzo, Bologna, Melegnano, Padua, Sant’Omero, Fano, Villa San Giovanni, and Concordia, ending in Nuoro.

This means the financial statements were presented in all the areas covered by the cooperative, including the headquarters, where major industry and service players attended the event.

At the beginning of each meeting, the area managers (who always provided a warm welcome, with different forms of hospitality shown from region to region) introduced the speakers and the topics of discussion for the evening.

The deputy chairman, Mario Guarnieri, presented the facts and figures in all the locations, confirming the cooperative’s progress in economic, financial, social and corporate terms. The tour was also a key opportunity to share CPL’s goals for the near future with its members, i.e. its intention to continue with the internationalisation process embarked on in order to overcome national boundaries and to maintain medium to long term growth. The area and division managers also described their situations, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that have arisen. In some areas, there was a distinct need felt for both ‘old’ and new employees to feel more engaged and part of CPL, so that they contribute to the company as fully as possible, even changing jobs and locations if necessary.

Human Resources Manager Jenny Padula’s speech concerned the new certification linked to guaranteeing rights in the labour market (SA8000 - Social Accountability), underlining how CPL has always given due importance to its people’s work and compliance with all the regulations surrounding it. Obtaining this certification has increased our opportunities to participate in tenders, especially in Italy, where the market is

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heavily regulated. General Operations Manager Claudio Bonettini ended each presentation of the report with a detailed description of the action taken in the aftermath of the earthquake (including the restructuring of the premises in Concordia sulla Secchia) and of the amounts spent on the reconstruction (€16.8 million), including the sums covered by insurance or contributions (about €10 million). Mr Bonettini remarked on the importance of commitment from every single employee in order to create a “virtuous circle” capable of transmitting CPL’s core values to its associate workers and, as a result, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the entire business system. Summing up, every stage of the 2013 tour offered an occasion to meet up and exchange thoughts and ideas. Local differences and peculiarities were revealed, and our cooperative nature increasingly demonstrated, while the need for greater integration and cooperation with colleagues was also highlighted. Another issue that emerged was the importance of keeping a close eye on all activities, so that we can look to the future with greater peace of mind. Each meeting ended with a different and original thought to take home. At the Paestum meeting (Area 6 – Naples), for example, the concepts expressed within almost all the presentations were summed up by deputy chairman Mario Guarnieri with the words “Those who share with others grow with them.”

CNews n. 43 - december 2013

Pinocchio in the Land of Children’s Rights

UNICEF and CPL CONCORDIA staged an exhibition in Bologna based on the famous marionette, whose adventures and misadventures were used to explore issues covered by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Sets, wooden artefacts, and books were viewed by over 2,500 children and adults, including inhabitants from the towns in Emilia hit by last year’s earthquake.

Francesco Manicardi (aged 43) fmanicardi@cpl.it Head of Press Office

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evised by children’s writer Benedetto Tudino, and heavily backed by UNICEF, with the support of CPL CONCORDIA and Bologna City Council, the exhibition, titled “Pinocchio in the Land of Rights”, examined children’s rights through the tale written by Collodi and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The exhibition, held at the Ri.E.Sco Centre in Bologna from 1st to 24th October, aimed to encourage story-telling and addressed the issue of children’s rights. Using Pinocchio’s exploits and mishaps, the exhibition offered young visitors a fun and interesting approach to the issue of children’s rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. An interactive pathway, made up of 27 intricately created wooden settings (some of which were life-sized), recreated the main events of the story of Pinocchio, associating each one with a right established by the Convention

on the Rights of the Child. The pathway was completed with over 400 books about Pinocchio and related illustrations, ranging from the late nineteenth century to the present day, because even today after the Bible and the Koran - Pinocchio remains one of the world’s most popular books. The inauguration, held on 30th September, was attended by the city’s councillor for education, Marilena Pillati, UNICEF regional chairman Lea Boschetti, Gianalberto Cavazza (chairman of UNICEF Bologna), writer Benedetto Tudino, and Bolognese artist Wolfango. Contrary to habit, the internationally renowned painter agreed to take part in the show, exhibiting some of his early illustrations of Pinocchio. “Pinocchio is a brother and a friend” declared the artist “and he is a brother and a friend to all children, all over the world”.

At the press release, director of CPL CONCORDIA Enrico Benetti stressed that “As well as providing funding for the exhibition, our cooperative was also keen to help children visit the exhibition too, concentrating our efforts on schools in

Modena’s low-lying areas which were hit by last year’s earthquake.” Guided tours were given by volunteers from UNICEF and other associations involved in the initiative, as well as students and teachers.

“CPL CONCORDIA has always been very focused on solidarity and social responsibility” said CPL deputy chairman Mario Guarnieri. “We have been working with UNICEF for several years now, funding international projects through CPL Life events in Bologna. After the earthquake last year, we received support and aid from UNICEF aimed specifically at our towns. The Pinocchio exhibition, which was visited by the pupils from our schools thanks to our contribution, is yet another example of our response to a need for help, offering the children a wonderful opportunity for learning and personal enrichment.” After Bologna, the exhibition – which has already been hosted by New York’s Institute of Italian Culture and the Pinacoteca di Roma gallery in Italy – was taken to Beijing, where it was hosted by the Institute of Culture.

THE EXHIBITION IN FIGURES 2512: visitors, including over 2000 children 75: classes visited, from nursery, primary, and middle schools 42: volunteers provided guided tours 560: children from earthquake-hit areas in the Emilia region visited the exhibition

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

A new electricity workshop for Argentine students

At Escuela Nazareth, in the Argentine city of Rosario, education opportunities are growing for the young people of the ”Villas miserias” shanty towns, with support from CPL and the Basaglia family.

Luca Bocchi (aged 39) lbocchi@cpl.it Argentine Branch Manager

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n 2nd August 2013, I had the pleasure of representing CPL CONCORDIA at the opening of the new electrical skills room at the Escuela Nazareth school, in Rosario’s barrio Luduena. This is the second workshop to have been completely refurbished and the work was enabled by contributions from CPL and the Basaglia family (who donated the sums received following the death of their son and CPL employee, Stefano) to the school, which was created and is still run by Father Edgardo Montaldo.

The refurbishment works were carried out by the pupils themselves, who now have a new - simple but better equipped - room, with new electrical apparatus and appropriate tools. In this new setting, the pupils will be able to study the basics of a craft that may, one day, provide them with an opportunity to leave the neighbourhood. The new room also allows several pupils to work at once and will undoubtedly attract interest, making it easier for the school

to achieve their mission of keeping them inside the school and off the streets during out-of-school hours.

After the positive results of two pupils who were able to find blue-collar jobs at General Motors, the new teacher for the forging and welding workshop also deserves a mention, who helps pupils with welding and small metalworking jobs. A former school member, after years of electrical skills work, he was taken on by the school when the previous teacher retired after years spent in its employ. The school decided to organise a small ceremony for the opening, to celebrate simply but with joy and excitement, and it began with the blessing of the room.

The occasion was enhanced by a performance from the band that Father Edgardo had helped get started some thirty years earlier and which is still playing today, thanks to the new members that have joined the original core of youngsters brought together by the Salesian priest. The ceremony was attended by a large number of pupils, some accompanied by mothers and grandmothers, and ended with the presentation of an award for the young

people who had carried out the refurbishment works in the laboratory, and a speech of thanks from Father Edgardo to CPL CONCORDIA and the Basaglia family. As soon as the band changed its genre, leaving behind the classical pieces in favour of more South American rhythms, like cumbia, the event took on a more festive atmosphere.

To end, I’d like to share a short anecdote which shows just how different the needs of these young people are. On that day, the school gave me a box of chocolates as a gift. After sharing out the chocolates with everyone there, I was looking for a rubbish bin for the plastic box, when two young pupils, squabbling to get there first, approached me and asked if I would give them it.

“What for?”, I naively asked. “What do you mean ‘what for’? I want to play with it!” they replied, clearly surprised at my question. For me, something that was simply taking up space and needed to be thrown away as quickly as possible was, for them, a special toy. Something I would never have imagined.

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CNews n. 43 - december 2013

FOCUS ON

The Escuela Nazareth and CPL’s support

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or several years, CPL CONCORDIA Group has been working in Argentina with natural gas distribution companies Redengas and Emprigas. Through its work with the International Co-operative Alliance, CPL launched an initiative in 2009 to provide financial and technical support to 800 pupils from the Nazareth vocational school, which fosters personal and professional growth among the young people living in the shanty towns of Rosario.

Starting in 1968, Salesian priest Edgardo Montaldo began his activity in this city in the difficult neighbourhood of

Luduena, which has 20,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are either out of work or in precarious employment, and are getting by on welfare payments. In these areas, the level of schooling among adults is extremely low and the high percentage of illiteracy is caused by the difficulties encountered in providing schooling for children and young people.

At the moment, the school’s capacity is 150 children for the infants section, 500 for the combined primary and middle school section, and 140 for the high school section. It also organises out-of-school activities to help and sup-

port local children and women, such as literacy classes for adults, a shelter for children and teenagers at risk, a centre for counselling and the prevention of domestic violence, and four workshops for teaching craft trades (carpentry, electrical work, forging and welding, and metal and stone working).

Representatives of CPL and the Nazareth school (with Father Edgardo Montaldo in the middle) in front of the new laboratory.

Pupils at work in the carpentry workshop

Valuing people in social cooperatives: the CPL IT project

The Modena Pomposiana Social Cooperative has officially opened its new, extended premises, introducing new activities in the field of telecommuting and IT services to businesses, thanks to its partnership with CPL CONCORDIA. Maurizio Marcon Chairman of the Pomposian Cooperative

Emanuele Malavasi (aged 38) emalavasi@cpl.it Project manager, ICT

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eading the way for social cooperatives in Modena, the Pomposiana Cooperativa Sociale was established in February 1981, ten years before the framework law on social cooperation.

This Modena-based social cooperative is responsible for maintenance activities in parks and public gardens, environmental services, separate collection of waste, and organic farming with certified production processes. At present, the cooperative has 24 members and 39 employees, 26 of whom are from disadvantaged groups (drug addicts, people under psychiatric treatment, the physically and mentally disabled). For each employee, a project is set up in association with the local health and social services. On 12th October, the extended premises were officially opened, the work for which had been carried out through the contribution from the charity known as Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena. Even more importantly, the new telecommuting division was also opened

on the occasion. Set up just a few months back, the division has already achieved its goal of maintaining the jobs of nine people, seven of whom are in some way disadvantaged. With an average age of 30, all these workers were former employees of another cooperative which had begun liquidation proceedings and therefore they were at risk of losing their jobs.

From the very first meetings with the chairman of Pomposiana, Maurizio Marcon, both the head of the ICT division, Mr Bandini, and the CPL management felt that, together, they could make good use of the capabilities offered by several people in the social cooperative. Their skills were put to use in a round-the-clock surveillance service concerning various items of remote monitoring equipment owned by CPL CONCORDIA, as well as in issue-specific legislative research, and the printing out of data processing lists (the sales companies’ day ledgers). CPL also has other projects in store, envisaging the direct involvement of the Pomposiana staff within the Contact Centre and round-the-clock surveillance

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of the new control room, and three new people have already started training for these jobs. Part of CPL CONCORDIA’s mission is the goal of “producing real work” and the cooperative shares the belief that working with the Pomposiana social cooperative will boost motivation and help the integration of the people involved, all the while providing innovative services with a real value for everyone.

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