Antonio Nicotra – Biography

Antonio Nicotra (1950, Doctor in Organic Chemistry by the University of Catania, 1973 “summa cum laude”) is expert in energy systems and specialist in Oil & Gas, with over 50 years of activity in the fossil & renewable fuels sectors, always aiming at optimizing energy sustainability on “well-to-wheel” basis and on the progressive replacement of fossil fuels with the corresponding molecules of biological/renewable origin, to achieve the net-zero goal of “carbon-neutrality” of greenhouse gases emissions, with Energy in balance with Climate by 2050 according to the EU Green Deal and COP28.

He is also focusing on most efficient & sustainable final applications of energy such as micro-turbines for electricity and hydrogen fuel cells.

Before retiring in 2017, AN was the Head of the "LNG for Transport" activities of the Gasfin Group (2008-2017), a private Luxembourg holding company, reference shareholder of TGE Gas Engineering GmbH and TGE Marine Gas Engineering SA (specialized in LNG engineering & construction of LNG Terminals and LNG carriers) and promoter of innovative solutions for the production, transport and use of LNG for smaller energy centres (SS-LNG) not reachable by the gas pipeline network and for all types of mobility: maritime, land by road or rail and aviation.

In 2016-2017, he was also President and Partner of Liquimet S.p.A., a company of the Gasfin Group established in 2016 in Italy to develop and build a network of LNG refuelling infrastructures in the transport strategic hubs (Ports & Interports) of the Italian TEN-T corridors. The first implementation was the LCNG refuelling station of the Interporto di Padova, which receives the LNG in 40ft ISO-containers by train directly from Rotterdam.

AN is currently COO and 5% Shareholder of Olbia LNG Terminal Srl,(www.olbialng.com) a company established in December 2019 for providing Natural Gas to Olbia and to the North East of Sardinia (Gallura – Costa Smeralda).

In summer 2020, AN launched the “Olbia EnerClima2050” (www.OlbiaEnerClima.eu) integrated Project based on the biogenic Carbon Cycle for shaping the energy sector of the territory towards the carbon neutrality, as requested by the European Green Deal and CO28 by 2050.

The Project consists in a 40,000m3 LNG > LBM Terminal, a 180MW CCPP and an Algae Crop, for an initial decarbonization stage based on fossil-LNG “transition fuel” for the replacement of coal and oil with clean-gas for Power and Mobility, and, subsequently, the progressive replacement of fossil-LNG with “renewable” bio-LNG (Liquid Bio Methane: LBM) sourced by an integrated virtuous circular CCU economy: whereby the CO2 released by the exhausts of the power plant gas turbines are cooled (to vaporize LNG/LBM) and recycled into an Algae plantation; relevant biomass residues are converted into biogas, upgraded into bio-methane, injected into the local gas-grid and liquefied at the Olbia LNG Terminal, where LNG/LBM is stored, regasified ad fed once again to the gas turbines … to repeat this virtuous Carbon Cycle inexhaustiblyachieving the target of generating useful energy from solar energy in balance with the environment.

The LNG>LBM Terminal and the relevant Combined Cycle Power Plant also act asstrategic energy storageandpeak-shaving/load-levelling” units to provide a one month strategic storage to the territory and to balance the fluctuations of power supply/demand sourced by the other intermittent renewable energy sources (photovoltaic, wind and hydro).

The Project obtained the NOF (feasibility safety clearance) by the Regional Technical Committee on January 4th 2023, and it is currently finalizing the Ministerial Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (VIA-VIS) approval required to obtain permits to build.

This “LNG-transition” to “LBM-destination” energy transition concept could be repeated in any territory worldwide, possibly integrated in a bio-refinery producing bio-ethanol (E85-E90) biodiesel and HVO (B100) and green-hydrogen sourced by biomass gasification, which is more sustainable (1:1 self-sustaining energy) than green-hydrogen sourced by water electrolysis (3:1 external energy, heavily effecting the grid capacity and stability).

Previously, AN held various position in the Suez-Tractebel (2003-2008), Enimont (1991-1997), Foskor (1984-1991) and ENI (1973-1984) Groups, in Italy and abroad.

AN has also been a member of several LNG-related Institutions & Associations:

-        ILNAS Delegate (Luxembourg Institute of Standardization) for CEN-TC 326 (European Technical Committee for: “Natural Gas Vehicles - Fuelling and Operations” for the implementing the European Standards for NG Vehicles refuelling stations and operation; he was coordinator of the 5th working group related to use and operation of LNG vehicles).

-        Member of the IGU WOC5.3 (International Gas Union, 5.3 Working Committee for Use of Gas in Natural Gas Vehicles).

-        Coordinator of NGVA Europe for the “Working Group LNG and L-CNG Stations”.

-        Consulting for the implementation of the GAINN_IT initiative of the Italian Ministry of Transports (LNG infrastructure for transport in accordance with Italian Decree Dgls 257 and European DAFI Directive 2014/94/EU, co-financed under the European CEF 2014-2019 program).

-        Consulting to Assocostieri (current).