The 15% cut in gas consumption from 2022 August 31 to 2023 March XNUMX decided by the EU is yet another opportunity to push on renewable energies. Throughout Europe, of course. But as far as Italy is concerned, more than one provision is waiting to be issued. "The world is in the midst of the first truly global energy crisis, triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the electricity sector is one of the hardest hit," he said Keisuke Sadamori, director of the International Energy Agency.
Renewables, why protest Free
According to the plans of Mario Draghi's government, to achieve the objectives of the ecological transition the country must install another 70 GW of renewables by 2030 . “But they're not created with a magic wand,” he says Livio De Santoli, President of the Italian FREE Coordination (Renewable Sources and Energy Efficiency). In between are the political crisis and the elections and the government left in office only for current affairs. The simplifications introduced have remained incomplete and Italy is very far from respecting the times dictated by the European energy agenda. Precisely in relation to the political context, the renewable companies hope that the months that separate us from the formation of the new government will not prolong the status quo. It is unthinkable to waste another month, face autumn with less gas, limitations in civil and industrial consumption and not having decided what to do with renewable energy, they argue. And they are asking the Draghi government to take back the measures for the sector, which have remained stranded.
Renewables are also opportunities for energy communities
"In the wake of the indications of the President of the Republic - says a note from Free - it is essential that the Government issues all the implementing decrees that have been left hanging". The list is detailed and concise. We start from the Decree on biomethane, which has been ready for months and on which there was also the positive opinion of the European Commission. For the energy communities instead, the acceleration of the measures by the ARERA is essential. Without those decisions that constitute the operational prerequisite for the growth of eco-sustainable aggregations in the territories, the Ministry of Ecological Transition will not be able to issue the tenders.
Small municipalities are the most interested in these decisions, as requested by over 100 business and third sector associations. With the reduction of gas and electricity consumption from traditional sources for the autumn-winter season, small and mountain municipalities really risk being left in the cold. But"neither will the auctions for wind and photovoltaic power have to stop which until now have had little success due to the increase in the cost of the technology that has not been updated as a starting point”, reads the note. The outlook should favor lower energy costs for households and businesses.
Wind, agri-voltaic, geothermal, biogas: all pending measures
Excluding the update for now NECP of 2020 (up to the new government), the other pending measures concern the definition of suitable areas for wind power, agri-voltaics, RES2 for geothermal energy, offshore wind power, biomass, biogas and solar thermodynamics. Finally, the tormented events of authorizations blocked to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. They could be unlocked with quick approval as one of those "current affairs."
And the consumers who suffer these delays? “We believe a campaign to promote energy efficiency in various sectors is urgent. There are already funds available such as those of the information and training plan of Legislative Decree 102/2014 in order to mitigate the effects of expensive energy and reduce the risk of fuel availability”, adds de Santoli. But despite the claims of the companies, Terna has communicated that the renewable energy in June they covered 35% of national consumption, which rose to 27,9 billion kWh. It goes without saying that the numbers could have been much better without the fall of the Draghi government.
