Money Buzz! Europa

Category: Infrastructure

  • Over 11 million passengers travelled thru Sheremetyevo Airport in 2020

    Over 11 million passengers travelled thru Sheremetyevo Airport in 2020

    Sheremetyevo International Airport served 11.228.000 passengers in the first seven months of 2020, including 1.459.000 in July. 

    There were 112,998 takeoff and landing operations (TLO) at Sheremetyevo in that period, including 12.778 in July.

    The bulk of passenger traffic was served by Aeroflot, Nordwind Airlines, Rossiya, Ikar, Royal Flight and Air France.

    The most popular foreign destinations from January through July were Phuket, Bangkok, Yerevan, Paris and Prague. The most popular domestic destinations during that period were St. Petersburg, Sochi, Simferopol, Krasnodar and Yekaterinburg.

    Air traffic has intensified at Sheremetyevo due to the improved epidemiological situation in the regions of Russia, and July air traffic showed an increase of 134% compared to June.

    Sheremetyevo International Airport is one of the top 10 hub airports in Europe and the largest Russian airport in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. In 2019, the airport served 49.933.000 passengers, an increase of 8.9% over 2018.

  • Wizz Air adds one new Airbus A320 aircraft to the Riga base

    Wizz Air adds one new Airbus A320 aircraft to the Riga base

    Wizz Air announced a massive expansion of its Latvian operations, adding one new Airbus A320 aircraft to the Riga base.

    This will enable the start of seven new routes from Riga to Bergen in Norway, Birmingham in United Kingdom, Billund in Denmark, Hamburg in Germany, Reykjavik in Iceland, Stockholm Skavsta in Sweden, Trondheim in Norway and one new route from Tallinn in Estonia to Bergen in Norway.

    Since 2010 the airline has carried almost 3,8 million passengers on its Riga routes. With today’s announcement the airline will have a fleet of 2 modern aircraft at its Riga base.

    The newly allocated capacity of over 260.000 seats per year will further contribute to the Latvian aviation market and to the creation of over 35 new direct jobs and over 195 indirect jobs in the region.

    Wizz Air new routes from Riga

    DESTINATIONSTARTSFARES FROM
    Riga – Bergen15 October 2020EUR 19.99 / NOK 219
    Riga – Birmingham18 October 2020EUR 24.99 / GBP 21.99
    Riga – Billund16 October 2020EUR 14.99 / DKK 109
    Riga – Hamburg15 October 2020EUR 29.99 / GBP 26.99
    Riga – Reykjavik16 October 2020EUR 29.99
    Riga – Stockholm Skavsta15 October 2020EUR 14.99 / SEK 159
    Riga – Trondheim18 October 2020EUR 19.99 / NOK 219
    Tallinn – Bergen15 October 2020EUR 19.99 / NOK 219
  • Telekom Slovenije and Ericsson launched the first 5G commercial network in Slovenia

    Telekom Slovenije and Ericsson launched the first 5G commercial network in Slovenia

    Ericsson and Slovenian communications service provider, Telekom Slovenije, launched the first commercial 5G network in Slovenia on July 23, 2020.

    The 5G rollout commenced within a week of the July 16th contract signing.

    The new 5G services were switched on through a software installation to existing Ericsson Radio System and Packet Core equipment which will enable spectrum sharing between 4G and 5G on the 2600MHz FDD spectrum – traditionally used for 4G only.

    Under the terms of the 5G deal, Ericsson is supplying Telekom Slovenije with RAN and Packet Core solutions.

    Initial 5G services are available in major cities across Slovenia, covering an estimated 25 percent of the population.

    The Slovenian communications service provider aims to increase its 5G coverage to 33 percent of the population by end of 2020.

  • Czech Temelín’s Unit 2 began to produce electricity again

    Czech Temelín’s Unit 2 began to produce electricity again

    Temelín’s Unit 2 began to produce electricity again at 50 % of the reactor rated power. The technicians are now waiting for the tests at 80 percent of reactor rated power to check the reactor core power distribution.

    The operators shut it down as planned for refueling on June 12. The outage lasted 58 days and, during it, the technicians replaced a quarter of the fuel, checked the safety systems, and mastered 55 investment actions.

    During the outage, the technicians replaced 42 out of 163 fuel assemblies in the reactor.

    Altogether, one thousand workers including the suppliers participated in the outage. At the same time, the power engineers planned the outage works so that Unit 2 at Temelín would be connected before the planned disconnection of the Dukovany Unit 2.

    Together with the Dukovany power plant, all six nuclear units are currently in operation.

  • Cooles Wien, the app that helps you find where you can chill nearby

    Cooles Wien, the app that helps you find where you can chill nearby

    If you are looking for some cooling off spaces in Vienna, you can use a new app. Cooles Wien is now available for free in Google Play and App Store.

    In the Cooles Wien app will find all over 1.000 drinking fountains, 55 cooling memorial fountains, 50 mobile drinking fountains including fog showers, more than 1.000 parks with their shady trees, 7 water playgrounds, 75 fog showers in parks and over 100 summer splashes – with fog showers on water hydrants – in Vienna.

    These places are noted on a digital map and will be displayed as soon as you are nearby.

    Vienna builds more parks than any other European capital

    There are currently around 1.000 parks in Vienna, and 16 hectares of parking space will be added in the coming years.

    In the last 5 years, 126 parks have been redesigned, 18 completely rebuilt, including very large facilities such as Seepark in the Donaustadt with 44,600 m2, or the Helmut Zilk Park with 67,700 m2.

    The groundbreaking ceremony for the 30,000 m2 Elinor-Ostrom-Park in the Danube city took place recently and Vienna’s first cooling park is currently being built at the Haus des Meer, with a large cooling spot that cools the surrounding area by up to 6 degrees.

    A total of more than 474,500 m2 of green spaces have been redesigned or redesigned since 2015.

  • Enel X at 50.000 charging points available throughout Europe

    Enel X at 50.000 charging points available throughout Europe

    Enel X expands its electric vehicle (EV) charging network to more than 50.000 public charging points.

    This significant increase from about 30.000 already available in early June was made by kicking off eRoaming connectivity with North European EV charging point operator Last Mile Solutions as well as has·to·be and E.ON.

    Under the framework of the Hubject e-mobility platform, this progress now allows Enel X JuicePass app users to charge their EVs, without signing new contracts, in the charging points operated by Last Mile Solutions, has·to·be and E.ON, on a network of around 20.000 additional charging points in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.

    JuicePass customers will now be able to use the app and cross the borders with one single interface from the Nordics through Germany, Austria and Switzerland on their trip to Italy.

    Enel X is expected to increase its network of public and private charging points made available worldwide to approximately 736.000 by 2022 from around 130.000 available today.

    What is Hubject?

    The Hubject e-mobility joint venture was founded in 2012.

    Headquartered in Berlin, its shareholders are, alongside Enel X: BMW Group, Bosch, EnBW, Mercedes Benz AG, Innogy, Siemens and the Volkswagen Group.

    The joint venture boasts over 750 business partners as well as 250.000 interoperable charging points in Albania, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

  • EIB supports the reconstruction of major roads in Montenegro

    EIB supports the reconstruction of major roads in Montenegro

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a second tranche worth €40 million for the rehabilitation of 180 kilometres of road along the five main routes in Montenegro.

    The loan from the EU bank is complemented by a €1.5 million technical assistance grant awarded under the Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI). It is the first ERI grant to be awarded to a project in the Western Balkans.

    The total EIB investment worth €80 million is expected to increase road safety and efficiency and facilitate faster economic recovery and regional trade.

    The modernisation of roads and increased safety along the reconstructed sections will reduce vehicle operating costs, commute times and the frequency of road accidents.

    Some 4.100 temporary jobs will be created under this project, supporting the private sector in Montenegro.

  • Enel X and ALD Automotive develop JuiceMotion, a solution for e-mobility

    Enel X and ALD Automotive develop JuiceMotion, a solution for e-mobility

    JuiceMotion, an innovative solution for the spread of electric mobility in Italy has been launched, after a partnership between ALD Automotive and Enel X.

    Customers who choose to rent a fully electric or Hybrid plug-in vehicle will have access to Enel X’s advanced charging services.

    Now with JuiceMotion, ALD Automotive and Enel X offer a new product, aimed at both private customers and corporate mobility, which will make the long-term rental of an electric car more convenient through an all-inclusive “worry-free” fee and a diluted payment over the years of the rental.

    A solution that offers, a card with 1,350 kWh included for use at Enel X charging points and the supply of the JuiceBox domestic charging infrastructure.

  • EIB provides support for new hybrid regional trains in Italy

    EIB provides support for new hybrid regional trains in Italy

    The trains will be less polluting and more efficient, and almost half will be for southern Italy.

    This is the goal of €450 million in European Investment Bank (EIB) financing for FS Italiane (parent company of the Trenitalia transport company).

    €150 million of the total has already been finalised via the subscription of a corporate bond under FS’ EMTN programme, concluded by way of private placement, confirming the group’s commitment to sustainable finance.

    The recently subscribed operation will finance the purchase of the first 43 trainsets ordered of a total of 135 covered by Trenitalia’s investment plan.

    The new trains will operate on internal routes in Southern Italy

    The new trains will operate on internal routes in several Italian regions (including Calabria, Lazio, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Valle d’Aosta).

    The 135 hybrid trainsets will have three or four passenger carriages.

    The trains will be equipped with cutting-edge motors for non-electrified lines, with a pantograph for electrified lines and batteries for the last mile of non-electrified lines, thereby avoiding the use of fuel and the related emissions close to urban centres.

    Trenitalia’s overall investment for this kind of train totals almost €960 million, covering the renewal of regional fleets on lines where electrification is not yet complete.

  • Half of batteries sold in EU are collected for recycling

    Half of batteries sold in EU are collected for recycling

    Over recent years, sales of portable batteries and accumulators in the EU remained relatively stable: from 176.000 tonnes in 2010, the amounts fell slightly to 169.000 tonnes in 2013, before rising steadily to 191.000 tonnes in 2018.

    In contrast, collection of waste batteries and accumulators in the EU steadily increased from 55.000 tonnes in 2010 to 88.000 tonnes in 2018.

    As a result, the collection rate of portable batteries and accumulators gradually increased from 35% in 2011 to 48% in 2018.

    Among the EU Member States, Croatia recorded the highest collection rate of portable batteries and accumulators (96%) in 2018 and was followed by Poland (81%), Luxembourg (69%), Belgium (62%) and Slovakia (58%).

    In contrast, the lowest rates were recorded in Estonia (30%), Cyprus (30%, 2017 data) and Portugal (31%).

  • EIB backs 826 MW Mytilineos power plant in Greece

    EIB backs 826 MW Mytilineos power plant in Greece

    The European Investment Bank has agreed to support construction of a new power plant in Greece by Mytilineos S.A.

    The new 826 MW CCGT Agios Nikolaos power plant will allow greater use of renewable energy resources in the country and enable the phasing out of lignite power generation in Greece by 2023, as well as supply long-term energy demand.

    European financial backing

    The EIB will provide a EUR 125 million 8 year loan to finance construction and connection of the new EUR 322m plant at Agios Nikolaos Viotias in central Greece alongside an existing energy generation center and industrial site.

    The EIB loan is guaranteed by the European Union under the Investment Plan for Europe.

    Crucial investment in the context of lignite power plant closures and expansion of renewable energy in Greece

    Once operational the new 826 MW natural gas CCGT plant will contribute to ensuring sufficient generation capacity to support the shut down of all -except one- lignite power plants in Greece by 2023. Lignite currently accounts for 4 GW of power generation in Greece, 22% of total capacity in the country.

    The Agios Nikolaos plant will also provide flexibility to allow greater use of intermittent wind and solar power in the future and enable increased electricity network  interconnection between mainland Greece and the islands.

    The new plant will be the most efficient gas power plant in Greece and use state of the art CCGT technology. The new investment by Mytilineos S.A. will also help to diversify power generation in Greece and increase competition in the energy sector.

  • French Indigo Group opens a subsidiary in Poland

    French Indigo Group opens a subsidiary in Poland

    Indigo Group is extending its European coverage by opening a subsidiary in Poland, a large country and a promising market for the “concessionary” model (long-term partnership with local authorities).

    With 38 million inhabitants, Poland experienced solid economic growth of 4% in 2019, after an increase of 5.1% in 2018.

    The country has a continuously growing car share that is higher than France in absolute value (> 600 cars / 1000 inh).

    As in the other European countries where it is present (Belgium, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), Indigo is aiming for a position of reference player in Poland. “

    Indigo plans for Poland

    The company intends to develop in Poland both through acquisitions and organic growth.

    Indigo Polska has thus just won a 10-year contract to operate the car park (150 parking spaces) of a vast real estate program, the “Warsaw Brewery: an iconic complex of restaurants, offices and apartments built on an historic site.

    In Poland, Indigo is positioned on the street parking market, on the management of public car parkings serving hospitals, universities, shopping centers, offices, etc. but also on the emerging market for concession car parkings.

    To develop Indigo Polska, the group recruited Michał Wikliński who previously founded and developed the current Poland Parking Market Leader (CPG).