In 1843, gas lighting appeared on the streets of Barcelona. Thirty years after the founding of the world’s first gas company in London, which introduced street lighting in the British capital, Charles Le Bon and Pedro Gil created the Catalan Gas Lighting Society in Barcelona. The construction of the gas plant in Barceloneta made it possible to expand the first lighting network for the city, which at that time already had 150,000 inhabitants.

Lebon and Gil’s company was founded just twenty years ago, but in 2023 it turns 180 years old. In 1846, it was one of the first eight companies to be listed on the Barcelona Stock Exchange. Today it is the only institution that continues its activities. Naturgy, the company that emerged from this first business seed, energy multinational corporation with interests in more than 20 countriesover 25,500 million market capitalization and a diversified energy mix prepared for the energy transition.

From gas to electricity

Naturgy’s is a story of constant transformation and growth. The company soon began offering its services to private clients, and in 1866 began geographical expansion throughout the peninsula with the acquisition of gas plants in Seville and Ferrol. At the end of the 19th century, it became involved in the production of thermal electricity, and in 1911 – in hydraulics, building the first waterfalls in the Pyrenees. For all these reasons, in 1912 Catalana de Gas became Catalana de Gas y Electricidad.

In the mid-60s, the company established Gas Natural SA to import these raw materials from Libya and Algeria. It established a regasification plant in the port of Barcelona and delivered the first methane tanker to Spain. Innovative initiatives that made it possible to industrially use natural gas as a quality fuel. This leadership was consolidated over many years and was realized in 1991 with the acquisition of Gas Madrid. As a result of this merger, Gas Natural was born, a leading Spanish company in the sector. Soon after, the company began its internationalization, first in Argentina and, in the late 90s, expanding into Colombia, Mexico and Brazil.

At the beginning of the century, Gas Natural continued to expand and diversify its activities. In 2002 he built in San Roque, Cadiz, the first combined cycle power plant in our country. Including his height. The merger in 2009 with Unión Fenosa, the third Spanish electricity company with growing interests in the gas sector, resulted in the formation of a new company, the gas leader in Spain and the world’s fourth operator of liquefied natural gas. Global Power Generation, which has since brought together all of the group’s international assets, is able to cover the entire power generation industry value chain – development, design and construction of projects, as well as their management and operation – anywhere in the world.

From natural gas to nature

In 2018, as a result of a trajectory of growth, internationalization and diversification of its activities, Gas Natural gave way to the new brand Naturgy, which replaced the word gas to embrace a broader concept of energy, and this is in line with the changes. model that the sector and the company live by.

From these first lanterns, the first kitchens and appliances, and the introduction of city and natural gas, Naturgy has continued to promote renewable gas as a fundamental energy vector of the energy transition. Coal and oil power plants have given way to wind turbines and photovoltaic parks. Today in the company’s portfolio more than 195 projects to generate electricity from renewable sources in Spain, Australia and the USAwhich others join 60 renewable gas projects. Yet Naturgy is in a privileged position to lead the energy transition.

The multinational is firmly committed to decarbonization. Strong investments in renewable energy in recent years demonstrate the company’s strategic shift towards a more sustainable energy mix. continuously growing and creating value. Today, Naturgy has an installed renewable energy capacity internationally of about 5.7 GW, to which it plans to add 1 GW in Spain alone during 2024, where some thirty wind and photovoltaic power plants are under construction, as well as another GW in Australia. In addition to the contribution, its first solar power plant in the US is also scheduled to come online next year.

Circular, decarbonized and efficient model

Thanks to all this, Naturgy recorded a 24% reduction in direct and indirect emissions in 2022 compared to 2017, ensuring that the increase in its financial performance is not due to a change in the company’s carbon footprint. As part of its commitment to society, the energy multinational also offers its customers transparent and cost-effective energy solutions, as well as innovative and sustainable products and services that support society’s journey towards a circular, decarbonized and efficient economy model.

This commitment extends to running a company where employees make progress on equality and diversity year after year. On the community side, since 1992, the Naturgia Foundation has been developing social action programs to combat energy poverty, promoting debate on energy and environmental issues, and promoting education through its school programs and vocational training initiatives and modules for employment.