Energy efficiency, a new "case" after what in recent years brought out sensational scams on wind power incentives in Puglia? The story is articulated and the comparisons are not always apt but it is certain that in the dispute between the entrepreneurs' associations and the GSE, the public company that manages incentives and white certificates, it is worth investigating. Too much slowness and bureaucratic obstacles, say the former. Too many illicit behaviors in requests for public funds by companies, essentially replies the second.
Some numbers help to understand. 95% of the checks carried out on the so-called standard forms (Rvc standard is the technical name) presented to obtain the White Certificates (the negotiable certificates which constitute the main incentive mechanism for energy efficiency projects for companies), gave an irregular result and therefore led to the withdrawal of the incentive. This was communicated by the GSE, specifying that out of 10.600 checks completed in the three-year period 2017-19, over 10.000 led to the cancellation of the projects. The equivalent value of the revocation of the incentives is 600 million euros. Fake self-certifications, in practice, for an energy saving never achieved against which benedicts were collected which were then discharged onto the bills.
Frauds also certified by the Guardia di Finanza which, between July and September, communicated the first results of the operation known as “Energia cartare”: “28 subjects reported to the Judicial Authority for the crime of aggravated fraud for the unlawful obtaining of public funds. 7 of them arrested. Preventive seizure ordered for the equivalent of assets for a total of 110 million euros, in progress (approximately 6 million euros already subjected to the measure) " reads the press release of the Gdf of Treviso which oversaw the investigation articulated throughout Italy . The investigation scrutinized the statements of 15 Escos (Energy Saving Companies) - which operated in different cities: Frosinone, Turin, Padua, Milan, Pordenone, Catanzaro, Cuneo, Parma, Potenza, Rome, Cosenza and Vercelli. From those false declarations, the Escos could have made undue profits of over 500 million, even in the following years, if in the meantime they had not been discovered.
The investigation will now run its course and the ball passes onto the field of the Judicial Authority. But to return to the casus belli which opposed the Energy Committee of Confindustria, Federesco and Fiper on one side and the GSE on the other, with exchanges of press releases, it should still be noted that the self-certification mechanism had been reported for some time (since 2015 to be exact) by the GSE to the various governments and ministers that have followed the Mise and the Mef as a potential factor of crimes. Until in 2017 the Manager's invitation to remedy was accepted and the self-certifications were abolished by ministerial decree. It is no coincidence that the mountain of requests for White Certificates, which has grown enormously, has drastically decreased since January 2018. The Gse recorded a 61% reduction in requests (2.211) presented by operators compared to 2017 (5.695) and a 34% reduction in recognition of White Certificates (3,8 million) compared to 2017 (5,8 million). And he has no doubts about the reasons for the collapse.
Where does the controversy arise from? Entrepreneurs attribute the fall to the manager's bureaucratic "paralysis" and ask for certain answers, certain times, a less slow bureaucratic machine for planning investments. So much to invoke (Fiper and Confindustria) a shift of responsibilities from the Gse to the Arera. They affirm that the only way forward is with appeals to the TAR even if they acknowledge, however, that the change of pace took place after the approval of the ministerial decree of 11 January 2017, signed by ministers Calenda (Economic Development) and Galletti (Environment) on which left open some technical questions such as the ceiling of 250 euros for the Certificates or the definition of what is meant by additional energy savings to be encouraged. It is here that assessments and points of view are introduced, even within the GSE itself, which then lead to more or less restrictive behaviour.
Everything is debatable but the fact remains that there have been scams (among the outstanding arrestees of Operation Energy, also the former president of Federlazio Ambiente Marco Perfili) and that it is the task of the GSE to verify that improper charges are not discharged onto the bills and wrongdoing. In the same way, the invitation addressed to the associations to "ensure compliance with a code of ethics" among their members is understandable. It does not seem that the Manager's response times are the problem: at least for the Fer decree, which came into force on 10 August last, the GSE published the call for tenders on 23 August (before the legal deadline) and the first tender for incentives it will take place on 30 September (second round on 30 October). The mechanism of the White Certificates since its establishment has proved cumbersome. Rather than sudden and new management changes, it then becomes appropriate to ensure - but here the Mise could help - those adjustments of course - useful for oiling the system and making it more dynamic. Especially now that energy efficiency is one of the pillars of the National Energy Plan. A climate of mutual trust can only benefit the system.
