The price increases on bills can be quantified in a +29,8% on light it's a +14,4% on gas. The Minister of Energy Transition Roberto Cingolani had even spoken of more than 40%, but the Government intervened with special measures cushioning the impact on 29 million households and 6 million micro-enterprises. Despite this, in 2021 an average family will spend around +€145 for electricity +€155 for gas.
Assium, the Italian utility manager association, comes to support everyone, both families and companies, with 3 practical tips for dealing with expensive bills and reducing their impact on lifestyle. The first hand outstretched is that of the membership fee zeroed until the end of the year. Then, a second concrete gesture: free access to the service "consumer desk", which will offer initial advice.
"We want to concretely show how being supported by a certified utility manager allows the consumer to intervene with awareness: by adapting the contractual conditions and their behavior on a sustainable use of energy", explained the President of Assium Frederick Bevilacqua.
While waiting for the government to intervene with further measures also for 2022, together with our experts we have drawn up a list of practical advice.
For businesses, we recommend:
- internally understand “how” energy is consumed through an energy audit;
- take action for the adoption of LED lamps in their spaces;
- evaluate the inclusion of home automation for cooling and heating systems
For families and individuals in general, we recommend:
- use appliances after 19 pm where possible, better after 23 pm or on weekends;
- choose LED bulbs, even for private spaces, adopt low-consumption appliances.
But what is behind it behind the increase in costs in the electricity and gas bill there is the surge in the demand for electricity recorded in the post-lockdown phase. I am at least three variables which in recent months have defined the price trend in the energy sector, affecting the so-called expensive electricity and gas bill.
1 – Increase of cost of CO2 emissions, so-called ETS: due to the decarbonisation policy of the European Union, in recent months, the prices of CO2 emissions have grown, reaching the quota of 50 euros per
ton of CO2 produced;
2 – Increase of demand for natural gas for the production of electricity: compared to other fossil fuels, natural gas has a limited quantity of emissions and has therefore become essential for the production of electricity: after the lockdown there was a very strong growth in the demand for natural gas to make in the face of the recovery in production and, consequently, also the prices of raw materials have increased;
3 – Increase of climate impact and related costs: the peak in electricity consumption (and therefore gas) due in spring, to lower than average temperatures which led to an extension of the heating; in summer at above average temperatures which led to an intensive use of air conditioners.
