The smaller islands of the Mediterranean will receive European funding for 120 million to invest in local energy systems. The funds will come from the Complementary Operational Program (POC) Energy and Local Development, with the aim of stimulate models of sustainable energy communities. Recently, the range of eligible interventions has also been expanded: the mayors will be able to enhance public lighting systems, avoiding waste, disservices, also favoring access and a more extensive use of renewables.
The operation concerns Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia and Sicily and is headed by the Ministry of Economic Development. The small Italian islands are distributed in 36 Municipalities, where a total of about 200 inhabitants reside.
The beneficiaries of the money are the Public Administrations and the managers of public facilities or facilities for public use. The concessionaires of the public electricity distribution, transmission and dispatching service are among the most interested in updating outdated infrastructures.
Compared to the larger islands, such as Sicily and Sardinia, the smaller islands - according to the National Union of Smaller Electricity Companies - differ in their smaller territorial extension, in a lower presence of residents and in the absence of a permanent connection with the continent. The isolation from the national electricity grid meant that the production and supply of electricity took place directly on the island.
The incoming funding is therefore a necessary measure for environmental sustainability in splendid locations grappling, in recent weeks, with a heavy drop in tourist presences. The times shouldn't be long, so it was decided to entrust Invitalia with technical support, to essentially create small island smart grids.
On the bureaucratic side, the intervention is linked to the PON Enterprises and Competitiveness 2014-2020. So the connection between two financial instruments, in the very broad panorama of European funds already available, can mark a good difference with the past. Approved with a Cipe resolution in 2017, the Plan started with a budget of 72,5 million increased to 120 million to raise the energy quality of the Aeolian, Egadi, Procida, Pantelleria, etc.
Making public lighting more efficient, they explain to the Mise, means replacing old luminaires along streets and inter-municipal streets with LED lamps or with technology of equal efficiency. The concessionary companies will have to take advantage of replacing fossil fuels for energy production with renewable energies. A mention of this process was in the "Consumer construction site" protocol signed by Terna with the consumer associations at the beginning of the year.
In fact, the agreement envisaged the start of a study path of sustainable interventions to make the electricity and energy system of the smaller islands more "smart". If compared with renewable plants, photovoltaic and wind power – explains the National Union of Smaller Electric Companies on its website – the investment cost of diesel engines is three to ten times lower. Costs that do not then consider the real potential of installing renewable plants squeezed between landscape constraints and other limits. Reasons destined to be reviewed to make the islands also take the path of the green deal.
