Spanish energy company Endesa S.A., a subsidiary of Italian multinational energy supplier Enel Group, and SIGEIF (the inter-council association for managing gas and electricity in Île-de-France) plan to build a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) public filling station in Paris. The contract was awarded as part of the plan to tackle pollution in the city of Paris and its metropolitan area.
The contract, signed in Paris, covers the design, construction and operation of a new public gas station for vehicles in Île-de-France, the metropolitan area of Paris. It will be located in the area of Wissous to the south of the French capital and will supply lorries passing through this major logistical hub.
Endesa’s gas filling station is expected to open in June 2019 and is part of the company’s growth strategy in France and Europe through natural gas, a fuel that reduces particle emissions by 95% and NOx emissions by between 40% and 65%. In its renewable form, which Endesa refers to as ‘BioNGV’, CO2 emissions are reduced by 90%. Both fuels will be available at the station.
The facility will cover more than 4,000 m2, will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and will have compressed natural gas (CNG) for fast refuelling. Two pumps will be available, with the option of increasing the number to four, to enable four lorries to refuel at a time. Prices are competitive compared to diesel and will vary depending on the type of use, i.e. one-time or fixed.
Île-de-France is the metropolitan area of Paris and is one of the regions with the highest per capita income in the world (it accounts for approximately 30% of France’s GDP). The region is also home to the largest population in France, with more inhabitants than Belgium, Sweden or Greece (around 11 million, or 18% of the French population).
Endesa and SIGEIF, which includes 185 municipalities in the metropolitan area of Paris, have been working to provide concrete solutions to pollution since 2016, when the contract to build the first Endesa natural gas refuelling station in Île-de-France was signed.
The latest contract adds to the four existing natural gas stations put into service by Endesa in Vannes (2017), Saint-Etienne (2017), Paris (2016) and Lyon (2015), as well as the two currently under construction in Saint Vincent de Tyrosse (south-western France) and Sarregemines (north-eastern France). The contract highlights Endesa’s commitment to sustainability and is part of its solid investment in the French market.
Aside from environmental benefits, natural gas also reduces fuel costs compared to diesel. With an autonomy that can exceed 500 km for heavy vehicles, natural gas is the alternative to diesel for transporting goods by road.
Endesa started marketing gas in Europe in the year 2000. It currently has a significant presence in France, offering energy solutions to professionals and major clients, and has a long-term implementation strategy. The company is carrying out projects to supply natural gas to the industrial, agricultural, distribution and services sectors throughout France.
