Italy’s Hera Group to distribute Panasonic gas meters

Italian multi-utility Hera Group is to distribute Panasonic’s NexMeter 4.0 gas meter to the European gas distribution market.

The new agreement, which was announced at Enlit Europe 2024 and extends an earlier collaboration, also opens the way for potential future partnerships with global operators.

Initially developed to meet the needs of areas affected by the 2012 Modena and Ferrara earthquake, the NexMeter is now a consolidated device and mainly built with recyclable components.

The Hera Group’s development plan has led to the installation of about 300,000 meters mainly in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Emilia-Romagna, areas classified as of high seismic risk.

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With advanced features and a shut-off valve, the meter can detect gas leaks in the users’ homes, stop the supply in case of dangerous leaks and alert emergency centres autonomously. To date, 70 alert cases have been recorded, 18 of which avoided serious incidents.

With its sensitivity to leak detection, the meter also effectively contributes to the reduction of methane emissions into the atmosphere.

“The Italian gas system is undergoing a significant transition and change – an evolutionary path where industrialisation and technological advancement go hand in hand with the sector’s focus on sustainability, decarbonisation and energy security,” said Alessandro Baroncini, Central Network Director of Gruppo Hera.

“The advanced meter we launched and positively tested on the market for five years has achieved positive results in home safety in seismic areas and gas leak detection. Therefore, it represents one of the industrial evolution tracks that the Hera Group brings as a contribution to the energy transition of the gas distribution sector.”

For the Hera Group, the NexMeter is considered a strategic lever for reducing Scope 3 emissions as outlined in its Climate Transition Plan with a net zero target by 2050.

The group has decided to replace all its meters with new device evolutions and a subsequent generation of NexMeter starting in 2029.

For Panasonic, the NexMeter represents a significant reference in the European smart gas metering market.

With over 20 million units installed globally, it is compatible with sustainable energy sources, including hydrogen – with up to 23% in the current version and 100% in the next generation – and biogas, and is also effective for calorific value measurement.

Winfried Neumayer, Senior Director of Panasonic Industry Europe, said the company’s participation in this collaboration marks an extraordinary opportunity to establish new partnerships with global gas operators.

“NexMeter is the ideal solution for European gas distributors to achieve their environmental sustainability goals. This union is destined to improve gas distribution by combining Japanese precision with European industry experience.”