Italian green utilities group, Gruppo CAP has become the fourth organisation to join the groundbreaking international Net Zero Partnership.

The Net Zero Partnership was formed in 2022 by the UK’s Severn Trent, Australia’s Melbourne Water and Denmark’s Aarhus Vand.

Already recognised as leaders in environmental sustainability and renewable resources, the three founding members formed the Partnership to co-create the development of technologies and innovations to make wastewater treatment greener and reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses from the process.

Partner members collaborate on the development of technologies to meet their net zero objectives, with Severn Trent’s Strongford wastewater treatment works in Staffordshire, England, retrofit to become the home of the world’s first dedicated Net Zero Hub.

The Net Zero Hub allows for the testing of innovations at industrial scale, with a target that the site will eradicate 34,000 tonnes of carbon per year – the same as a person flying return from London to New York 34,500 times.

Gruppo CAP is the public company that manages the Integrated Water Service of the Metropolitan City of Milan, and is a key player in the development and innovation of Lombardy's water infrastructures.

A true green utility, which grows through markets that are complementary to the water sector and fundamental to the sustainable development of the planet, helping them to embark on the path towards sustainability and the circular economy.

Gruppo CAP today can rely on a modular industrial ecosystem, consisting of CAP Evolution, the company operating in the areas of waste, wastewater and green energy, Neutalia, which manages the waste-to-energy plant in Busto Arsizio, and ZeroC, the BioPlatform that will transform the existing facilities consisting of waste-to-energy plant and water treatment.

Alessandro Reginato, General Director of CAP Evolution, said: “We are genuinely thrilled to be the first Italian company to join this groundbreaking Net Zero Partnership. The objectives of the Partnership align perfectly with our own aspirations to drive ecological transition and reaching the decarbonisation targets.

“As an evolved green utility, the Group is looking forward to bringing its expertise across renewable energy, resource recovery and the circular economy to the Partnership”.

Rich Walwyn, Head of Asset Intelligence and Innovation at Severn Trent, speaking on behalf of the other partners, said: “Gruppo CAP brings a wealth of invaluable experience and expertise and we are genuinely excited at the insight and knowledge that they will bring to the Partnership.

“We are driven by our commitment to support ways of creating net zero wastewater treatment, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. These are universal issues faced by every wastewater company on the planet, so the work that we’re doing will have global implications.”

Claus Homann, Chief Strategy Officer at Aarhus Vand, said: “I am very pleased that we are expanding NetZero with Gruppo CAP. Their goal of CO2 neutrality aligns with our ambitions. I feel their commitment also to recycling, including phosphorus, which is also an important agenda. Furthermore, I see Milan as a place where different industries can be integrated into an innovation agenda. Altogether, I am really excited about this new collaboration.”

Nerina Di Lorenzon, Managing Director at Melbourne Water, said: “Tackling emissions demands bold innovation and global collaboration. We’re thrilled to welcome Gruppo CAP to the International Net Zero Partnership. Through knowledge sharing, we can better understand our emissions, implement new technologies and meet our challenges to reduce our collective emissions. The actions we take today will help shape a more sustainable water future for generations to come.”

ENDS

For more information on the Net Zero Hub, visit www.severntrent.com/innovatoin/net-zero-hub
Out of hours: 0345 602 0659  

Notes to Editors:

Aarhus Vand
Aarhus Vand is a utility situated in the second largest city in Denmark at Aarhus Bay. The company supplies around 350.000 people with drinking water produced from groundwater resources. Aarhus Vand produces 15 million cubic metres of drinking water annually and treats up to 35 million cubic metres of wastewater at four main treatment plants. The wastewater treatment plants are net energy producers, generating around 8.5 million kWh of electricity and 4.8 million kWh of heat each year through biogas production from sewage sludge. For further media information: +45 20 88 62 32 or email kom@aarhusvand.dk

Gruppo CAP
Gruppo CAP is the public company that manages the Integrated Water Service of the Metropolitan City of Milan and is a key player in the development and innovation of Lombardy's water infrastructures. A true green utility, which grows through markets that are complementary to the water sector and fundamental to the sustainable development of the planet, helping them to embark on the path towards sustainability and the circular economy.

In terms of size and assets, the Gruppo CAP ranks among the most important monoutility companies on the national scene. Gruppo CAP today can rely on a modular industrial ecosystem, consisting of CAP Evolution, the company operating in the areas of waste, wastewater and green energy, Neutalia, which manages the waste-to-energy plant in Busto Arsizio, and ZeroC, the BioPlatform that will transform the existing facilities consisting of waste-to-energy plant and water treatment.

Melbourne Water
From providing clean drinking water, treating sewage so we can recover and re-use our valued resources, working within our community to reduce flood risk, and keeping all 25,000km of Melbourne’s rivers, creeks and catchments healthy, Melbourne Water manages all parts of the water cycle that are essential to our way of life today, tomorrow and for generations to come.
For all media enquiries, please email news@melbournewater.com.au or call +613 9679 7004. 

Severn Trent
Severn Trent is the UK’s second biggest water company.  It serves 4.8m homes and business customers in England and Wales. Its region stretches from mid-Wales to Rutland and from north and mid-Wales south to the Bristol Channel and east to the Humber. The company delivers almost two billion litres of water every day through 50,000km of pipes. A further 93,000km of sewer pipes takes wastewater away to more than 1,000 sewage treatment works. 
For further media information: 02477 715 640 or email media@severntrent.co.uk  

The Net Zero Hub
The new ‘net-zero hub’ is supported by the Ofwat Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe and a £28 million investment by Severn Trent. The site was already home to advanced digestion (THP) and ‘gas to grid’ technology, and has been used to trial the SUEZ ‘Actilayer’ cover system; Cellulose Recovery from Dutch company Cirtec; and Digital Twin technology, which is a virtual representation of the whole treatment plant via Atkins, Explore AI, Siemens and Xylem.