Italy is preparing for the worst, as is all of Europe. With the gas being pumped through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline (which connects Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea) cut off for maintenance, the government prepares a contingency plan in case you get to a total stop. The initiatives range from rationing of heating, air conditioning and lighting to curfews in shops, from cuts in homes and public offices and possibly for more "energy-intensive" industries. And which would go hand in hand with that of the European Union (Brussels will present in just over a week a unified strategy plan), while more are on the way help with bills. In the meantime, the energy saving awareness campaign will start.
The concern is that Moscow could use the temporary shutdown as a pretext to permanently cut supplies. In the past, similar jobs have resulted in a ten to 14-day block, and have not always been completed within the announced deadline. But with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the western sanctions, it is not certain that the Kremlin will restart deliveries at the end of the works. Gazprom, by the way, has already significantly reduced the flow through the pipeline by approx 40% of capacitycausing prices to skyrocket.
Gas emergency plan: cuts, rationing and savings
For now, Europe has enough gas, but there are fears for a "cold, dark and expensive" winter with stocks not filled adequately. Italy would be among the countries to discount the worst price. But what can we do? Gas cuts and rationing are the main measures envisaged by the government, namely:
- radiator temperature reduced by 2 degrees and time restrictions in homes;
- curfew on lighting in cases of extreme criticality;
- cut lighting of street lamps in cities and museums (up to 40%);
- early closure of public offices;
- reduction of heating to 19 degrees in public offices;
- early closure of private premises (at 23pm);
- early closure of shops (at 19pm);
- reduction of gas and electricity to non-essential businesses
- increase the use of energy from coal
- increase gas extraction from platforms with drilling.
These are extreme measures that should only be triggered in an emergency. Even if Russia has reduced supplies to Italy by a third compared to the average of the last few days (equal to approximately 21 million cubic meters per day against 32 million in recent days) at the moment the energy alarm stops at the first level.
Savings on gas and electricity bills: Enea's study
Given the sharp increases in electricity and gas prices, Enea has presented a study to mitigate spending on bills (but also to deal with the gas emergency and possible cuts and rationing envisaged by the government). With two specific measures in the residential sector one can arrive at save almost 2,7 billion cubic meters of methane gas e reduce household bills by around 180 euros/year.
The "behavioural" and "administrative" measures against high bills
The study explores two specific lines of action, namely "behavioural" measures (the economic benefits can reach up to 240 euros per year per family) and "administrative" measures with particular reference to winter heating. The latter includes lowering the thermostats by 1°C, from the usual 20° to 19° to obtain a national average saving of fuel for domestic heating of 10,7%. In addition, reducing ignition by one hour a day can contribute to a 3,6% decrease in consumption.
By implementing these two measures together, and also adding the 15-day reduction in the ignition period, savings can reach 17,5%, equal to approximately 2,7 billion cubic meters of gas (1,65 billion from the 1 °C and 550 million from the reduction of one hour per day). In terms of bills, these proposals can lead to overall savings, calculated at current prices, of 178 euros/year per family.
At a behavioral level, the use of electric heat pumps already installed for summer air conditioning also for winter heating, the reduction in the use of gas for domestic hot water and cooking, the lower consumption of electricity thanks to a better use of household appliances can lead to savings of 3,6 billion cubic meters/year. An additional 0,4 billion can be saved with the replacement of appliances and air conditioners with high efficiency models and theinstallation of led lighting.
"The timely adoption of the measures indicated in the study could also make it possible to reduce the pressure on gas modulation storage for next winter, to fill which, at least 90% by October, the government has adopted extraordinary measures", he underlined President Dialuce. At the moment, according to Snam data provided by the CEO Stefano Venier, commercial storage fill rose to 64%. "We at Snam have made a contribution of around 1,5 billion cubic metres, and we will continue to give our support - he added - obviously within the limits of a system operator".
Cingolani: "The winter will be delicate, fill the stocks as soon as possible"
“This winter is the slightly more delicate one, we must have the stocks full as soon as possible in order not to run short in the first months of winter. This while we increase, with a curve, the arrivals of gas from new countries”. The Minister of Ecological Transition said so Roberto Cingolani commenting on the latest events relating to the gas emergency which could also involve Italy, due to the lack of supplies from Russia.
Residential consumption, explains the minister, accounts for about 30% of the total and 10-12% of emissions. If we regulated the heating times better, reducing them by one hour, we would save 1,5-2 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The minister has not ruled out an information campaign to encourage energy savings through virtuous behavior both in the gas sector and in the equally strategic water sector.
