Fight climate change and promote community awareness of their role as protagonists in the energy transition. These are the objectives of the two new initiatives launched by Enel Group. With the event "Grid Futurability for a Net-Zero World“, organized in Milan as part of the Italian pre-COP26 campaign aimed at promoting 2021 as the “Year of climate ambition” (All4Climate) and “Renewable Choice”, an online crowdfunding fundraiser, to involve all citizens directly in the investment for the construction of new renewable plants in Italy.
The first was launched with the aim of encouraging discussion on the transformation of traditional distribution networks into so-called "Smart Grids" through the combined use of robust infrastructures and advanced digital solutions aimed at making electricity networks more resilient, participatory and sustainable by minimizing the impact on end-user tariffs. Take an approach of The circular economy it means introducing as many sustainable and recyclable raw materials as possible, in order to maximize their economic value and reduce both their environmental impact and the CO2 emissions of assets.
“By prioritizing the goals of the energy transition, Grid Futurability draws up an effective roadmap that serves as a guide for investments aimed at both urban and rural areas, harmonizing strategic needs in the long and short term, maximizing the benefits and satisfaction of the various stakeholders while showing how we can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of grid assets,” he said Antonio Cammisecra, Director of Enel's Global Infrastructure and Networks business line.
The energy multi-utility has allocated 60 billion euros of investments in distribution networks for the period 2021-2030 it will use the legacy infrastructures in a better way, transforming them in such a way as to allow a greater integration capacity of the renewable energy, implement local flexibility services and markets by leveraging distributed energy resources and promote a more active participation of customers and stakeholders in the electrification of world economies, to make a decisive contribution to the "Net-Zero" ambitions of entire cities and nations.
As for “Renewable Choice”, the program was launched by Enel Green Power with an initiative to finance the photovoltaic solar plant that will be built in Poggio Renatico, in the province of Ferrara, with a power of about 17 MW, which will help avoid the emission of more than 11 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ( CO2) every year and to guarantee the supply of renewable electricity to more than 8.300 families.
“Renewable plants – he commented Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power – are a fundamental tool for reducing CO2 emissions and combating climate change, and above all they represent an opportunity for economic and social development of the territory and of the country as a whole. With Renewable Choice we want to propose an active and concrete participation of local communities and territories in the energy transition, promoting people's awareness of their role as protagonists of change towards a sustainable model".
Starting from 30 September 2021, residents of the Municipality of Poggio Renatico will be entitled to a period of 2 weeks to be able to participate in the crowdfunding campaign and, at the same time, will have access to a higher rate of remuneration of the loan. Following the exclusivity period, the fundraising campaign will remain open for an additional month. After that, anyone can participate in the initiative, provided they are an adult natural person residing in Italy, freely choosing the value of their investment on the basis of their preferences, from a minimum of 100 euros up to a maximum of 5 thousand euros, with a yield of 5,5% gross per annum for residents of the Municipality of Poggio Renatico and 4,5% gross per annum for non-residents.
