Once the first country overall, now there is a need to recover quickly. Italy was the forerunner of the potential of geothermal energy, but in the last ten years it has been surpassed by Germany, France, Austria, Norway. However, it is the Tuscany Region that maintains a position worthy of some consideration in the world scenario. The revival of geothermal necessarily passes from there. Despite other projects in development, such as the one in Campi Flegrei in the Neapolitan area, but with little money available.
In Tuscany, the 30 million euros a year distributed to the Municipalities for the use of reserves could therefore increase within a few months. A way to make Italy regain all the positions lost due to lack of medium-long term strategy. In Florence, a new agreement is being prepared with Enel to intensify searches. Neither a recent investigation by the public prosecutor of Grosseto on emissions from the Amiata fields it seems, however, to block the nascent partnership. We will continue with Enel: the only Italian company that has achieved the potential of geothermal energy.
It has recently invested in Chile, but the underground strength of the provinces of Pisa, Siena, Grosseto is only 5% exploited. The money disbursed to the communities has the counterpart of deposits to be "emptied" still for 95%, according to data from the International Agency for Renewable Energy. Until 2024, royalties will be paid on the basis of a framework agreement which is also connected to the existence of a special geothermal fund. We are, therefore, faced with a transversal business: on the one hand, research and introduction into the network of clean energy; on the other, concertation with the leading and unanimous local authorities. Without hindrances and - what is more important - with the prospect of secure earnings because wealth is underfoot.
The Tuscan governor Enrico Rossi looks outside his own region. He intends to give impetus to an energy and environmental potential, useful to Italy, of which only his land is rich. He also plays a political game and for this he is working on an agreement with the Ministry of Economic Development and with Enel Green Power for a more intensive and fast program. It is a common interest to quickly arrive at a new regional legislation on CO2 polluting emissions and the harmonization of geothermal fields with the territories. It is also being discussed in Brussels, while in Tuscany the new concessions are stuck three years ago.
Then in future agreements we will try to increase the economic benefits to local communities from 6 to 10% of the turnover obtained from the exploitation of the subsoil. For Business insider experts in 2016 geothermal energy contributed to Italian electricity production - almost all of Enel - for only 6%. Percentage certainly to be increased for economic benefits and to count a little more than the countries that have overtaken us, even though we were already in business at the beginning of the century.
