Italy in Class A, Aeneas and Mise awarded prizes and awards for the best journalistic communication on energy efficiency issues. FIRST online it received a special recognition “for the quality of the information and the level of depth in dealing with energy efficiency issues” . Altroconsumo (efficiency and consumer protection) e Protecta (technologies and efficiency) are the other awarded publications.
"Information plays an essential role in making known the opportunities and benefits of energy efficiency as a driver of development, employment, income and well-being", underlined the president of ENEA Federico Head in opening the ceremony – which was attended by the deputy minister Teresa Bellanova – which marked the conclusion of the first year of the Italy in Class A campaign, dedicated to energy efficiency and promoted by the Ministry of Development and Enea.
The Intelligent Energy Award aimed at journalists and young people under 25 for the best articles, commercials and radio-TV reports on energy efficiency was won by Massimiliano Del Barba of the Corriere della Sera, Vincenza Emira Feast of TG3, Micaela Again for QualEnergia, Fabio Maiorino for the unedited video, Nicola Smorgon for the Under 25s e Radio 24-Il Sole 24 Ore for the program "Smart City - Voices and places of innovation" conducted by Maurice Melis.
In addition to the three publications mentioned above, the special awards were also given to Elena Comelli for Nòva-The sun 24 hours, Mila Fiordalisi for Building and Territory-The sun 24 hours, Roberto Pozzan for Report–Rai 3.
The Jury was made up (see photo, from left) of the Deputy Minister of Economic Development Teresa Bellanova, Federico Testa President of Eenea and of the Jury, Claudia Canevari Deputy Director of the Energy Efficiency Unit of the Energy DG of the European Commission, Antonio Funiciello, Head of the Prime Minister's Staff. The commission also included Roberto Moneta and Ilaria Bertini, respectively head and deputy head of the ENEA Energy Efficiency Unit.
"If Italy has the leadership, also recognized at European level, of the largest number of energy diagnoses of large companies, this is due - stated Bellanova - to a capillary and pervasive action, to the ability to accompany along the path of efficiency our companies. In fact, with over 15 energy diagnoses carried out by over 8 companies, we are first in the EU ranking, a real success given that the total number of analyzes carried out in Italy exceeds the total number of those in all other European countries".
Some data allow, observed the deputy minister, "to consider Italy already a country in "class A" for energy efficiency: in less than 10 years, Italian families have invested almost 28 billion euros (+12% in a year) to reduce waste and make their homes more efficient, carrying out 2,5 million energy requalification interventions between 2007 and 2015. This green choice has supported a supply chain of 50 jobs on average per year and, overall, energy efficiency measures from 2005 to 2015 saved almost 10 million tonnes of oil equivalent per year, avoiding 26 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and 3 billion euro of import costs fossil sources".
