Enel X, the advanced energy services arm of energy company Enel Group, and Italian national association of local public transport companies ASSTRA announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Intent aimed at making local public transport more sustainable.

According to the companies, the MoI will focus on a series of activities promoting sustainable mobility in Italian cities, including developing new business models to accelerate the energy transition of bus supply systems, ensuring efficient use of public funds procured under the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s (MIT) National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Mobility, designing infrastructure and charging stations, defining new Smart City solutions, and developing energy efficiency solutions to be applied at public transport depots.

Additionally, the companies stated that the agreement aims to encourage awareness campaigns about the harmful effects of environmental and noise pollution, with particular attention to urban centers.

Augusto Raggi, Head of Enel X Italia, said:

“The partnership with ASSTRA aims to accelerate the energy transition to public electric transport. The partnership between a major industrial player such as Enel X and ASSTRA will lead to the identification of innovative business models for an integrated public transport system with energy-efficient, green and digital solutions. In so doing we can increase transport comfort for citizens and reduce operating costs, with advantages for the Public Administration and external benefits for cities such as improved air quality and reduced air and noise pollution.”

Andrea Gibelli, President of ASSTRA, said:

“ASSTRA, with the memorandum of intent signed today, intends to further substantiate the work it is carrying out to develop technological innovation applied to public transport. The innovative aspect of the memorandum signed with Enel X Italia lies in the exploration of new business models for electric collective transport systems on buses, aimed at accelerating the energy transition by ensuring a more effective and efficient use of public funds, for a sector whose importance for the country today is emerging dramatically due to the pandemic. Our intention is to look ahead to build today a better future for local public transport and therefore for citizens.”