Un new agreement between Italy, Albania ed United Arab Emirates is about to change the European energy landscape. This is a project that 1 billion euro which provides for the creation of ainfrastructure for the transport of renewable energy from Albania to Italy, through a submarine cable, with the support of the United Arab Emirates. On the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the leaders of the three countries signed this agreement that aims to enhance energy cooperation between the nations involved, with a focus on renewable energy.
A submarine cable to bring renewable energy
The project involves the construction of a submarine cableor that will connect Albania to Puglia in Italy, using the narrowest stretch of the Adriatic. This cable will transport solar power ed wind produced in Albania to Italy. The choice of Albania as a supplier of renewable energy is not accidental: the country has a large capacity for energy production from renewable sources, thanks to its abundant solar exposure and favorable conditions for wind energy.
The agreement provides that this clean energy will be used to satisfy part of the Italian demand, thus contributing to the reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Italy, in particular, needs to diversify its energy sources to meet sustainability goals and improve energy security.
A strategic and innovative infrastructure
The project does not only concern the submarine cable, but also includes the creation & di industrial plants PV ed wind turbines in Albany. Albania, in fact, is investing to become a renewable energy hub. With the support of masdar, the Emirati group that has a strong interest in green energy, and the Albanian state company Kesh, the construction of gigawatt plants to generate large-scale renewable energy is planned.
This energy will then be transported via the submarine cable to Italy, with the advantage of being constant, clean and sustainable. The infrastructure will also include hybrid solutions that they use battery storage systems, to optimize the use of the energy produced, especially during periods of low demand.
Infrastructure timing and impacts
The project, which includes the submarine cable and infrastructure in Albania, is expected to be completed in three years.
However, there is no shortage of unknowns. The construction of such a long submarine cable involves considerable technical challenges, and there are always risks associated with any delays o Costs unexpected. Furthermore, although Albania has great potential, the capacity to produce renewable energy on a large scale will have to be verified and developed in the coming years.
Meloni: “The green transition must be pragmatic”
The premier Giorgia Meloni, commenting on the agreement, stressed the importance of this initiative for a sustainable energy transition. “If we want to make a concrete and sustainable energy transition, we must ensure that it is achieved with adequate infrastructure. I am sure that developing interconnections can be the key to a new energy diplomacy to multiply the opportunities for cooperation between us, and generate shared benefits for all. With this approach, Italy wants to become a strategic hub for energy flows between Europe and Africa”.
Meloni also underlined that the project represents a new form of cooperation: “I am personally proud of this initiative, which tangibly shows how new forms of cooperation can be built even between partners who may seem distant, at least geographically.”
During her speech, Meloni also referred to the nuclear fusion as a possible future of energy production, a technology that could, according to her, revolutionize the global energy sector, producing clean energy in a practically unlimited way.
