SIGEIF (the association of municipalities for the management of gas and electricity in Ile-de-France), which includes 185 municipalities in the Paris metropolitan area, has signed an agreement with Endesa to supply vehicular natural gas (VNG) for public and private transport in the area.

The first "gas station" in Ile-de-France, which will open in September, will cover 4,000 m2 and it will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and have compressed natural gas (CNG) for rapid charging.

Endesa, a subsidiary of the Enel Group, and SIGEIF (the association of municipalities for the management of gas and electricity in Ile-de-France) have signed today in Paris a contract for the supply and operation of the first public vehicular natural gas (VNG - BioVNG) filling station in Ile de France. The new service station, the largest in France, will be located in the town of Port Autonome de Paris, in the Bonneuil-sur-Marne commune east of the French capital, and it will supply trucks passing through this important logistics hub.

lle de France comprises the Paris metropolitan area and is one of the regions with the highest income per capita in the world (representing approximately 30% of French GDP). It is France's most densely populated region, and has more inhabitants than Belgium, Sweden and Greece (11 million inhabitants, approximately 18% of the French population).

The opening of the Endesa "gas station" is scheduled for September, and is part of the company's strategy for growth in France and Europe through the supply of CNG, a fuel that reduces the emission of particulates by 95%, SOx emissions by 100% and NOx emissions by 65%. BioVNG, methane from renewable sources, also reduces CO2 emissions by 90%. The awarding of the contract is part of a plan for the prevention of pollution in the city of Paris and its metropolitan area.

The new Endesa service station, covering 4,000 m2, will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and have compressed gas (CNG) for rapid charging.

Following on from today's signing, Endesa and SIGEIF, which includes 185 municipalities in the Paris metropolitan area, will continue to work to provide specific solutions to pollution problems. For this reason, SIGEIF plans to invest in the construction of another 10 gas stations in France.

In addition to the environmental benefits, compared with diesel, VNG allows fuel savings and reduces maintenance costs. With a range that can exceed 500 km in heavy vehicles, VNG is the alternative to diesel for road transport of goods.

Endesa recently signed an agreement with the French transport company CityLogistics for the supply of natural gas and biomethane for vehicular use for the company's entire fleet of vehicles in the city of Lyon. The agreement, which lasts eight years, involves ensuring the supply of natural gas for CityLogistics's growing vehicle fleet in this French city.

Endesa began selling gas in Europe in 2000, and it currently has a strong presence in France, where it provides energy solutions to professionals and large customers, as part of a long-term implementation strategy. Endesa's branch in France undertakes projects to supply natural gas to the industrial, agricultural, distribution and service sectors throughout the country.

About Endesa

Endesa is the leading company in the Spanish electricity sector and the second operator in the Portuguese electricity market: a company that provides services to more than 11 million customers and that directly employs more than 10,000 people.