More energy autonomy and market

Energy autonomy and security of energy supply

Energy independence is a fundamental strategic factor for the competitiveness of the Italian production system in the global economy.

FSRU Toscana Regasification Terminal guarantees a higher energy autonomy to Italian system as:

• It allows the receipt of liquid natural gas, which frees Italy from pipeline supply, through which it is connected to a limited number of suppliers.
• LNG can be freely and directly bought from all producing countries. This promotes the competition and the independence of price bargaining and higher country’s competitiveness.
• Regasification also allows to increase the gas supply in a flexible way, for example, in case of particular cold seasons or in case of international political crises causing interruptions in the gas supply by pipeline.
• OLT  regasification plant is able to supply 5 billion cubic meters a year.
• It can offer the Peak Shaving Service, one of the emergency measures established by the MASE included in the “Emergency Plan” to tackle specific unfavourable situations and guarantee the security of the National Gas System.

The market context

The LNG market has dramatically changed in recent years, due to crisis for health emergencies and political instability. In this framework, LNG plays a primary role as it contributes to security of supply, diversification and competitiveness of gas supply souces.

Starting from 2022, several European Member States, including Italy, have decided to invest in the further development of regasification capacity, to increase the security and the flexibility of the gas supply.

LNG has become Europe’s leading source of gas supply, exceeding the volumes imported via pipeline.

The flexibility of the energy infrastructure is of paramount importance and OLT, in this context, has beeen able to meet the needs of this evolving market.

OLT provides the maximum capacity and flexibility of the FSRU Toscana terminal, both from the point of view of the cargo capacity of the authorized LNG carriers, and for the quality and origin of the LNG, ensuring at the same time high standards of safety and environmental sustainability.

Considering the changing market conditions and the increasing focus on security of supply, as well as the need to provide the Terminal with as much flexibility as possible, in 2023 OLT obtained authorization to increase regasification capacity up to about 5 billion standard cubic meters per year.