Early globalization ended with the outbreak of World War I. The second globalization, from the 90s of the last century, was first stopped by the pandemic, then overturned by Putin's war on Ukraineto, but also to all of the West.
Putin's blackmail on gas
Energy is Putin's weapon of choice to bring war into our homes. He began rationing our gas in the summer of 2021. He is now asking us to pay for it in rubles, probably without immediate consequences, despite the refusal of European leaders to be blackmailed, as he cannot sell gas to anyone else until he completes more pipelines. Europe's energy autonomy has become an immediate necessity. We need to find quick solutions for cocompensate for possible cuts by Russia. But since there will not be a return to the previous situation, we must build a sustainable autonomy over time and in the new international context.
The results of the Brussels summit of 24 and 25 March, with the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden trying to hide behind the finger of the market so as not to take a common position on the ceiling on the price of gas, they predicted rationing for next winter, but they were tempered by the decision to entrust the European Commission with the preparation of a common purchasing plan for storage of gas. And we can hope for Mario Draghi's persuasiveness also for the price cap.
The role of Italy
Italy is doing its part in the international response to Putin's aggression, with unprecedented economic and financial sanctions and the acceptance of refugees, but many of us wonder what they can do themselves to thwart Putin's war machine, fueled by sales raw materials, especially gas and oil. There is one thing we can do to help end the war in Ukraine and together with energy independence also obtain relief for family budgets from expensive bills by reducing the possibility of a triggering of the price-wage spiral and the impact on life of probable rationing.
In Italy, we have an absolute advantage in the production of electricity from solar energy, which is not stable enough for industrial machinery, but with the addition of minimal storage it is adequate for domestic consumption. The government has passed the DL of 1 March for liberalize the installation of photovoltaic panels, but the rules for installing them on the roofs of condominiums in cities where more than 80% of the population live are not specified.
The State contributes 50% to the installation of solar panels and only under certain conditions at 110% as for the facades, an aberration that removes all responsibility from the private individual who discovers himself generous with public money and accepts doubled estimates from companies. This super-incentive appears to have meant that we've spent the same percentage of public money on redevelopment as the US does on vaccine development. The installation of photovoltaic panels should be requested to obtain 110% in the houses (and also in the condominiums).
But even with the state contribution to the installation of photovoltaic panels, combined with the deterrent of the increase in gas and electricity bills, the probable rationing due to the incomplete replacement of Russian supplies in the current year (and perhaps the next two) and to the desire to drain Putin's resources for war, we still would not succeed in rapidly replace solar energy for hydrocarbons for domestic consumption.
The inefficiency of justice
NOT because of bureaucratic slowness in this case: by contacting one of the major companies in the sector, I had an online quote in two minutes, already discounted by the state incentive, it was enough to provide the address and identify the roof in the screen sent to me. But due to theinefficiency of justice: the same company, in the explanation of the procedures, specified that without the signature of each condominium for the acceptance of the installation in the common areas it is not possible to proceed. In other words, the already enormous majority of 4/5 required by the condominium law for the approval of works on the common areas is not enough; majority that should become simple for the installation of solar panels which is already regulated by the landscaping regulations. The only explanation for this request is the installer's fear of incurring a flood of civil lawsuits that the 250.000 Italian lawyers will not fail to advise every disgruntled condominium (have you ever met one?). Which means waiting 10 years for the sentence, since the civil justice reform just approved we will know if it works to reduce trial times only in a few years (many, and the writer, do not believe it will reach the goal of reducing times precisely because of the 'absence of measures to limit demand from lawyers).
Therefore, together with the incentive and the rules for condominiums, a “civil shield” is needed, ad hoc rules that ensure a rapid and effective procedural tool to facilitate the installation of photovoltaic panels in condominiums in cities, where more than 80% of the population lives.
Production for direct use, without involvement of the network or other intermediaries. Perhaps for this reason the diligent legislative offices of the ministries have overlooked the feasibility of the installation panels on condominiums: only families earn. And schools and public buildings could be involved, also for the distribution of excess production to the most fragile families. The sword of Damocles of rationing coupled with doubling bills can mobilize individual interest just as it does with facades.
How to get out of dependence on hydrocarbons
The current shock due to the war planned by Putin precisely on the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves from the export of hydrocarbons can have the effect of wean Europe from their use taking a decisive step towards the use of renewables for domestic consumption.
However, it must be clearly communicated that this emergency will not pass like Covid. The tear of aggression against Europe, nuclear threats and blackmail on energy will not be mended in years, probably decades, as happened with the first globalization, given China's alignment with Russia.
La review of recovery strategies economy is necessary and urgent. In the PNRR, reallocations of resources will be necessary to take into account the priority of energy independence and investments in security, as well as bottlenecks in the supply of both raw materials and indispensable intermediate products such as chips. The installation of solar panels is part of the energy transition envisaged by the Plan: we should review incentives and simplify legislation, with the appropriate set of "civil shields" and focusing on the temporal sequence: with maximum incentives immediately, but decreasing month after month to speed up implementation before winter.
