The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) has recognised the DirectLinkLNG project developed by Naturgy as the “2018 Innovative energy project of the year”, an award that recognises the most innovative project in the global energy sector and which was awarded to a company from outside the USA for the first time.
The AEE is the most highly-recognised global association of energy professionals, mainly engineers. It has over 30,000 certified professionals worldwide and operates in 90 countries. The AEE was founded in the USA in 1977, and since 1981 has been the leading certification organisation. In 2015, this association recognised Naturgy with the Corporate first prize for being the Spanish company with the highest number of professionals accredited by one of the AEE certifications.
This recognition of the DirectLinkLNG project was collected by José Miguel Moreno Blanes, the director of the project, and Miguel Duvison Santiago, the technical manager of the project, at the AEE 41st World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC). Antonio Miranda Bonet, chairman of the AEE Spain Chapter, and Javier Cervera Alonso, vice chairman of the AEE Spain Chapter, both from Naturgy, nominators of the project and drivers of the nomination, were also present at the awards ceremony.
“We started out with an innovative idea and turned it into reality in record time. Today it is a unique solution that will enable us to revolutionise the small- and medium-sized market for liquefied natural gas in the coming years on a global level, a comprehensive solution driven exclusively by Naturgy with endless possibilities”, said José Miguel Moreno Blanes.
About DirectLinkLNG
DirectLinkLNG is the first floating system for transferring liquefied natural gas (LNG). It consists of a platform, the UTS (Universal Transfer System) developed in partnership with the Norwegian Connect LNG technology, which has a binder system that is the first offshore application in the world that is compatible with any type of methane tanker. Once connected to the tanker, the LNG is securely and efficiently transferred to shore (or onto the boat if it is an LNG bunkering operation) through floating cryogenic hoses, which were first used commercially a year ago in the Herøya industrial park (Norway).
About Naturgy
Naturgy has around 18 million clients in more than 30 countries and is one of the leading multinational companies in the gas and electricity sector, making it the main natural gas distribution company in the Iberian peninsula. The company provides personalised solutions to its customers aimed at meeting their energy requirements while improving their competitiveness through innovation, a commitment to energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.