How this Italian energy sector amassed a community of environmentally active consumers with its green business model

<p><img src="https://static4.businessinsider.com/image/608197174becb800190f688b-2362/Gianfilippo Mancini_logo.jpg" border="0" alt="Gianfilippo Mancini_logo" data-mce-source="Sorgenia"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Sorgenia entered the newly liberalized Italian energy market about 20 years ago. Today, it is propelling the country's energy transition with its clean energy portfolio and innovative digital customer services.</p><p><a href="https://www.sorgenia.it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored">Sorgenia</a> represents 2.7% of Italian energy capacity, supplying more than 400,000 businesses and households with gas and renewable energy. But its innovative consumer-centric approach is what will help this integrated player succeed in the energy transition.</p><p>The sector's centralized business model built around a conventional generation is coming to an end, and a new distributed business model is emerging, made up of small renewable assets connected by smart grids and smart data management.</p><h2><strong>Growth signals</strong></h2><p>The change is driven on a European level by the EU's 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-strategy/clean-energy-all-europeans_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored">Clean Energy for All Europeans package</a>, which among other initiatives, regulates and encourages the establishment of renewable energy communities (RECs). In a REC, consumers participate in a sharing economy, generating and distributing energy locally through an interconnected digital platform.</p><p>"We are enabling these communities in a number of areas in Italy, and we will see this model grow dramatically throughout Europe," says Sorgenia's CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianfilippo-mancini-a21a2696/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored">Gianfilippo Mancini</a>. "Engaging with these 'prosumers' (people who both produce and consume) is essential to the shift from a centralized model to a distributed model made up of consumers, information and data."</p><p>However, "prosuming" will not become mainstream until more digital technologies and distributed energy management activities are embedded in the retail market.</p><p>"These market developments lower the value of the commodity and increase the value of new services around that commodity," says Mancini.</p><h2><strong>Connect with the 'Greeners'</strong></h2><p>To participate in this growing market, Sorgenia set out to develop a solid data-centric and customer-centric culture. "We are seeing a dramatic and accelerated shift towards digital channels among our customers," says Mancini. "They want a more direct relationship with their suppliers."</p><p>This led Sorgenia to launch its MySorgenia app, which helps it engage directly with a new and rapidly growing community of environmentally active customers.</p><p>"We have a new generation of responsible and engaged customers," says Mancini. "We call them the 'Greeners,' and they now represent 20% of our customer base. They are empowered by our services, such as renewable microgeneration and digital solutions built around sustainability."</p><p>Through the app and Sorgenia's website, there is a full digital path for the supply of green energy and fiber to homes and the provisioning and supply of rooftop photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, and other smart appliances.</p><p>The app allows customers to control their household consumption and bills and includes measuring their carbon footprint. A loyalty program then rewards proactive customers with gift vouchers for environmentally friendly consumption habits and for choosing renewable energy sources.</p><h2><strong>Finance the future&nbsp;</strong></h2><p>Expanding its portfolio of renewable generation is also central to Sorgenia's energy transition strategy. In 2019, its shareholders accepted an offer for its acquisition and refinancing by investment manager Asterion Industrial Partners and infrastructure fund manager F2i, underpinned by ING's allocation of 100 million as Original Lender for the syndicated acquisition.</p><p>The transaction added nearly 300MW of wind and 70MW of biomass capacity to Sorgenia's 4.4GW gas-fired generation portfolio and will further strengthen the retail offering to address the changing market environment.</p><p>"ING was honored to provide F2i and Asterion with its expertise in the energy sector, supporting the investment in Sorgeniaa strategic and innovative player in a fast-changing market," says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerio-capizzi-6a821715/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored">Valerio Capizzi</a>, ING's head of energy for EMEA.</p><p>"Our mission is to make the energy transition possible and, in this respect, Sorgenia was identified as a changemaker whose strategy matches our commitment to creating a greener and more sustainable society."</p><p><strong><a href="https://new.ingwb.com/doyourthing'wt_mc=ING_WB_BI_art_cta" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Discover how ING supports sustainable change.</a></strong>&nbsp;</p><p><em>This post was created by ING with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sponsor-posts" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Insider Studios</a>.&nbsp;</em></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/ceo-sorgenia-how-utility-company-supplies-green-energy-italy-2021-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>
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