“The climate challenge is won with innovation, efficiency, clean energy and the green economy. Italy is there”. The Cop 21 in Paris, the world conference on climate change in which 160 countries will participate in the US and China halls, is just a few days away and Enel takes the opportunity to present, together with Symbola, the Report “100 Italian energy stories” . One hundred cases of excellence, all made in Italy, in an energy world that is preparing to face major challenges, first and foremost that of decarbonisation.
In the report, presented byTo Enel Francesco Starace and by the president of Symbola Ermete Realacci, more and lesser known names alternate: from Iren, to Eni-Istituto Donegani, to Luiss EnLabs the factory that "churns out" start-ups in the Termini station headquarters to many other names worth mentioning because they nonetheless represent an excellence and a novelty in the booming energy sector.
"We tell the story of a country which, despite ancient limitations and problems, is at the forefront in many sectors and, in particular, in the energy sector", write Realacci and Starace in the introduction to '100 Italian Energy Stories'. "We have begun to exploit the opportunities of the transformation in electricity generation towards sustainable and widespread production, which requires new solutions: in this report, without an academic nature or presumption of exhaustiveness, we indicate 100 protagonists"
. Italy today has the world leadership for the contribution of photovoltaics in the national electricity mix (7,9%), ahead of Greece (7,6%) and Germany (7%), but also Japan (below 3%) USA and China (less than 1%). Italy is first among the large EU countries, tied with Spain, for the share of renewable energy in electricity production. And we are second among the big European players forefficiency in energy consumption of the national economy: we consume 15 tons of oil equivalent per million euro, Great Britain 12 (but has less manufacturing), France 16, Spain and Germany 18.
“The Enel group – notes Starace – is committed to playing an active role in the decarbonisation process through its industrial activities and has set itself the objective of achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. We hope that on the occasion of the COP21 meeting in Paris, a global agreement on climate will be reached that can give strong signals in this direction”.
The Paris conference, adds Realacci, “is also an extraordinary opportunity for relaunch our economy in a green key. 24,5% of our companies that have invested green since the beginning of the crisis have improved their performance both in terms of innovation and exports and new jobs, conquering the country a positive green spread: we are first among the major European countries for eco-efficiency of the production system and we are at the forefront for the share of renewable energy in electricity production (43,3%)”.
Looking at today but projecting towards tomorrow, it is clear that "without an essential contribution from the transport sector - from road vehicles, to ships, to planes - the "monster" of global warming cannot be completely defeated. A key-role – continues Starace – will be played by electric mobility. It is a still unknown world made up of many aspects – from technology, to networks, to charging stations, to batteries as well as vehicles – in which Italy has excellent credentials to play its game well. We are committed to doing so” underlines Starace again. In conclusion “There is no reason why Italy should fear a revolution in the field of the electric car. We have nothing to lose, only to gain."
