Edison Accelerates Energy Transition with €1.2B Investment and Strong ESG Commitments

At a time when Europe is considering a relaxation of the ESG reporting regulations, Edison firmly reaffirms its commitment to transparency and sustainability by presenting the summary of its 2024 results and progress with respect to the 2030 Strategic Plan. Investments of 1.2 billion in the energy transition in the last two years, aligned in 2024 for 70% to the United Nations SDGs and for almost 50% to the EU Taxonomy.

A reduction in carbon intensity of 15% in 2024, with renewables, flexibility, customers and services activities that represented for the first time more than half of Edison’s EBITDA, bringing the group closer to the 2030 objective that sees these activities constitute 70% of the margin. Over 800 hires in the two-year period 2023-2024, with the goal of 1,800 new entries by 2030, approximately 300 per year. More than 100 schools and over 3,000 students in orientation and training programs for new generations.

These are the numbers revealed during the event Futuro in corso. L’impatto sostenibile sostenibile di Edison 2024 , in which CEO Nicola Monti , together with Barbara Terenghi , Chief Sustainability Officer, and Ronan Lory , Chief Financial Officer, outlined the results and prospects of the group committed to doubling its EBTDA to two billion by 2030, compared to 2022, leveraging 10 billion in investments that it promises to be aligned 75% with the European Taxonomy and 85% with the United Nations SDGs.

“The results demonstrate the concreteness of our responsible actions and the coherence between the industrial strategy and the ESG objectives. Over the last 5 years, thanks to the progressive transformation of the industrial portfolio, we have led the group to solid financial, operational and ESG results, consolidating our leadership position in the energy transition in the country”, commented Monti.

Investments in energy transition made by Edison

In the two-year period 2023-2024 Edison has invested 1.2 billion euros in Italy in the energy transition along its three main business axes: generation and flexibility, gas supply and green gas development, customers and services. Investments that are part of the 10 billion euro plan between 2023 and 2030 and that last year were aligned at 70% with the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) and half with the EU Taxonomy (almost double compared to 2023 when the alignment with the taxonomy was at 27%).

The goal is to bring them to 85% and 75% respectively within the next 5 years. And for the future the group is keeping a close eye on the new CCS technology for CO2 capture, which allows the segregation of plant emissions and the development of the new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) nuclear technology, with a view to diversifying production sources.

Edison decarbonisation goals

Since 2006, the company has reduced its direct CO₂ emissions by more than 75%, reducing its emissions profile from nearly 25 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent to 6.1 million in 2024.

The dynamics of the decarbonization trajectory traced by the group are visible and foresee a reduction of at least 95% of direct CO2 emissions Scope 1 by 2050 compared to 2017, through the increase of electricity production from renewable sources, flexibility systems and the adoption of the best decarbonized generation technologies. In 2024, Edison reduced its carbon intensity by 15% – from 284 to 240 grams of CO₂ per kWh – and reached 27% of electricity produced from renewable sources, advancing from 25% in 2023 and approaching the 40% target for 2030.

Installed capacity from wind, photovoltaic and hydroelectric power reached 2.2 GW (almost 200 MW additional between 2023 and 2024) and allowed the production of 5.5 TWh of green energy, equivalent to the annual needs of a city like Milan. A sprint in renewables that translates into 2.4 million tons of CO₂ avoided (2.8 Mt including Edison Energia and Edison Next).

Renewable development and programmable generation

In 2024, Edison opened construction sites for new renewable capacity for over 400 MW and entered into a floating offshore wind project of approximately 1 GW. Between 2023 and 2024, it put into operation 1.5 GW of highly flexible capacity, thanks to two new latest-generation thermoelectric plants.

Families, businesses and public administration

On the customer front, the group, through Edison Energia and Edison Next, promotes the path of families, businesses and public administrations towards decarbonization, encouraging the process of electrification of consumption, the adoption of green gas (biomethane, Bio-LNG, hydrogen) and supporting them in the processes of efficiency and conscious use of energy resources also with a view to competitiveness. Last year, Edison Energia recorded a 14% increase in its customer portfolio, exceeding 3 million contracts in the first quarter of 2025.

In 2024, Edison Next supported the decarbonization of industrial customers through low-carbon self-production systems, increasing installed capacity by 230 MW compared to 2021 and stipulating contracts for new renewable plants for approximately 180 MW.

Thanks to the decarbonization activities of its customers, as well as initiatives for the adoption of sustainable practices by its suppliers, the group aims to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2040 compared to 2019, with a reduction component specifically on customers that is 30%.

The group is also active in the development of energy communities, the 75 energy communities already created that serve 1800 families. “The goal for 2030 is to exceed four million contracts and energy communities. For us,” comments Terenghi, “they also have a solidarity aspect and are important in combating energy poverty, which is a very significant issue in Italy, 10% of families are impacted by this problem.”

Mobility and transport

Overall, in 2024, Edison installed over 1,000 car charging points at retail, SME and industrial customers, and public administrations. Edison, which created the first integrated logistics chain of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the decarbonization of heavy maritime and road transport, is also the country’s leading operator in the biomethane market. Furthermore, in compliance with the 2030 targets, the group continued to develop new capacity for the production of Biomethane and Biogas with a total of 8 plants under management, construction and authorization in Italy and Spain.

“Industry and transport in Italy are responsible for 40% of CO₂ emissions. For this reason, the company is also investing in sustainable mobility where electric mobility plays an essential role. For this reason it is a central element in our offers and proposals. Our goal,” observes Terenghi, “is to contribute to the creation of the necessary infrastructure for Italy. We know well that electric mobility is not advancing rapidly in Europe, and even less so in Italy, but the current dynamics are pushing in this direction and we must be ready when the market takes off.”

And regarding the social implications of the Energy market, Terenghi underlines that in perspective an increasingly felt need due to climate change, in addition to that of heating, will be that of cooling, with heat waves that risk hitting the weakest people. “This is why we created a cooling center with the Red Cross” observes Terenghi.

People and skills

The group has more than 6,000 people with a planned hiring rate of approximately 300 people per year until 2030. Of these, 50% will be young high school and college graduates and the female component will represent at least 40% of the new highly educated hires. In the two-year period 2023-2024, Edison hired over 400 people per year, 49% of whom outside the headquarters in Milan, Rome and Turin, i.e. in the territories where the group operates. In 2024, it also promoted the Sustainable Procurement Academy , in collaboration with ALTIS Università Cattolica di Milano, to accompany its suppliers in the conscious adoption of ESG practices.

“We plan to hire 1,800 people between now and 2030, which means about 300 people a year. Half of these will be recent high school graduates or graduates under 30. These are young people,” observes Monti, “whom we support in their development also through a social housing program, offering a fundamental contribution to their independence and the possibility of renting a house, providing them with a two-room apartment at a cost, including utilities and services, that does not exceed a third of the person’s net salary. This allows young people to plan their own life and autonomy, more easily supporting the costs of a big city.”

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(Featured image by  Dragos Gontariu via Unsplash)

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