Letter from the President

The Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation ended the year 2011 with significant achievements that have allowed it keep moving forward in its lines of energy and environmental action, and in historical research. Its actions, both in Spain and internationally, once again were clearly acknowledged by society, and the institution was rated one of the three most transparent foundations in Spain, according to the Business Commitment Foundation.

In order to protect and promote the heritage, the Foundation completed the flagship project of the Gas Museum, which opened its doors to the public in December, in the new headquarters which the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation recently inaugurated in Sabadell.

The setting up of the museum allows us to have an important cultural facility to preserve the long history of our company, operating for nearly 170 years, while offering society the chance to explore the future of energy and the environment, in order to develop a major educational and cultural task in the service of the community.

The Gas Museum will become, without a doubt, a reference both in Spain and at a European level, and will enable the exploration of the past and future from a high quality and up to date perspective.

Throughout the year, a total of 17 seminars were carried out to further enhance the social awareness and orientation towards action that the Foundation promotes. In these seminars, experts from different fields discussed energy efficiency, new energies and their corresponding technologies; they went into other issues such as the capture and confinement of carbon dioxide, and progress was made in the paths of the future offered by smart grids.

The relations with the different governments of the Autonomous Communities for yet another year maintained a very satisfactory progress. In this sense, collaboration agreements with Andalusia, Aragon, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, the Community of Madrid, Murcia, Navarra and the Community of Valencia were consolidated.

Internationally, the Foundation continued its lines of work and maintained specific programmes in seven countries in three continents: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Morocco and Mexico. The progressive globalisation of the activities remains very positive, as it provides additional elements of connection with the different countries where Gas Natural Fenosa is present.

The Energy Training Centre, in its effort to prepare professionals for the energy sector, developed new programmes and courses in 24 cities in Spain as well as in Lisbon and Porto (Portugal), and in Bogota and Barranquilla (Colombia).

Meanwhile, the Gas History Centre promoted two publications: a book about the history of the gas plant installed at the Royal Palace of Madrid in the early nineteenth century, and another on the history of gas technology, of a very informative character, which will allow greater knowledge of the sector for non-specialist professionals. The Historical Archive focused its activity this year in the massive search for information, to complete the exhibition discourse and the Museum’s collection with original and high quality information.

The efforts made in the publication of relevant information about the institution were crucial in obtaining the recognition for transparency and, in this line of sensitivity to issues of corporate governance, the Board of Trustees approved a Code of Good Governance.

I would like to finish by highlighting the positive contribution and constructive involvement of public authorities and of scientific, university, professional and civic institutions, which are essential for the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation to continue to advance, quickly and effectively, in our effort to achieve a better, more humane and more sustainable future.

Salvador Gabarró Serra
President