Unity is strength and this also applies to addressing the complexity of the energy transition. It is the key step - that of the progressive abandonment of fossil fuels and the replacement with renewable sources - in front of which the government, politics, businesses and all the stakeholders confront each other and do the accounts on such a strategic issue for the country , for Europe and for the whole world. Therefore, instead of dividing everyone by cultivating their own garden, it is better to focus on sharing. This is the meaning of the alliance between Assomineraria (the association of companies operating in the extraction of solid minerals and hydrocarbons) and Elettricità Futura (the most important association in the electric, conventional and green world), once rivals and today to march together towards the same goal, as evidenced by the workshop promoted by the two associations in Rome on Thursday. On the table is the implementation of the Integrated National Plan for Energy and Climate (Pniec, the new version of the old Sen), approved by the previous Lega-M5S government which also obtained the endorsement from Brussels and sets ambitious goals to 2030. Objectives that have sparked the attention of companies in the entire energy sector and on which the associations but also the same companies affected by the issue, such as Terna and Snam among others, will make their voices heard more and more.
AN ALLIANCE FOR DOING , THE OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME
In Rome, the voice of the associations was heard. “It's about an alliance aimed at doing, carry forward the investments and infrastructure necessary to achieve the objectives of the Pniec which sets ambitious objectives for the entire sector by 2030. Objectives which – on this we are all in agreement – will bring investment opportunities and benefits, not just risks” he explains Simone Mori, president of Future Electricity. Luigi Ciarrocchi, president of Assomineraria, underlines in turn how it is "necessary to move to a new energy model in which research will play a fundamental role in overcoming the current limits of the various energy sources which for renewables are low density and discontinuity and for fossils the carbon footprint . I am convinced that it is possible to decouple economic growth and emissions trends. We can do it by working together with determination”.
And this is where the problems to be faced come into play and which will undoubtedly require a lot of tenacity. Especially by entrepreneurs. Why, he noted Giuseppe Ricci of Confindustria Energia “We cannot phase out coal if there is no infrastructure to replace it with other sources. The problem of authorizations – he continued – now concerns not only fossil fuel projects but also renewable ones. And for reverse the anti-infrastructural "perversion". which has now penetrated Italy, information and above all supply chain work is needed". Therefore, overcoming the divisions of the past "or there is the risk of not achieving the objectives of the Pniec or worse still of implementing them badly and that is, with much higher costs for the country".
80 BILLION INVESTMENTS AT RISE
If Eni is accelerating on renewables and biochemistry, Enel has become the most important green producer in the world and there is no shortage of corporate stories - such as that of Erg, which has transformed itself from an oil company into a 100% green producer - Italy can be said to be well positioned . But as he explained Andrea Zaghi, director of Future Electricity, the 2030 goals set by the Pniec require a mountain of investment. It is a question of reaching a 2030% share of RES (renewable sources) in gross final energy consumption by 30 (32% the EU share), with an energy efficiency target of 43% (against the 32,5% EU) and a reduction of greenhouse effect emissions by 33% (instead of 30%). But to get there, the Pniec provides for an additional 40 MegaWatts of renewable capacity and Elettricità Futura estimates 47. E 80 billion of investments will be needed, of which 50 billion additional against the approximately 46 estimated by the National Plan. “Future Electricity – concluded Zaghi – you are convinced that decarbonisation today represents the most important growth possibility for Italy and for Europe”.
URSULA'S CHALLENGE
In the EU of 28 countries, the first energy source for the production of electricity is nuclear with 25%. Coal and gas follow with 21% each. Fers contribute 31%. The EU president Ursula von der Leyen wants to turn the mix around and launch a European Green Deal in the first 100 days of his mandate. But Italy must run if coal plants are to be closed. “It is necessary to overcome the administrative barriers for the development of renewables” relaunches Mori. And without the capacity payment (the recognition of a remuneration on gas plants that serve to balance the electricity grid) the closure of coal will not take place. This is why creating an "industry chain system" that moves together has become indispensable.
