(Finance) – Nel Of Energythe law decree on energy security approved by the Government and published in the Official Journal, there are no incentives for families. According to the National Council of Geologists, the Energy Legislative Decree did not provide incentives for the domestic sector, despite the fact that the same Decree introduces a reform of incentives for energy-intensive companies (with high electricity consumption), in order to align with European regulations on the matter of State aid for climate, environment and energy 2022.
This scenario occurs in a context in which, according to Istat data, the prices of gas production and distribution of gaseous fuels they increased by an average of 182.5% between 2019 and 2022. This increase in costs, highlighted by Istat, could have an impact in the future further significant impact on household energy billsraising questions about the lack of direct incentives for the domestic sector in the Energy Legislative Decree, despite the economic challenges that families are facing.
He spoke on the subject for the National Council of Geologists President Arcangelo Francesco Violowho declared: “considering the high purchase costs of liquid natural gas (LNG) on international markets, which are inevitably reflected in the costs on the bill, we would have expected a more incisive commitment from Parliament in considering the use of terrestrial heat. This inexhaustible resource, deriving from the geo-tectonic structure of our country, should be considered as a key opportunity in the energy context. Geothermal energy represents a clean and renewable source of considerable importance, and we reiterate the need to include it significantly in the discussion on the diversification of energy sources”.
The considerations of Paolo Spagna, Vice President of the CNG Study Center, they add interesting perspectives to the discussion. The proposal to favor the twenty-year extension of the use of high temperature water (High Enthalpy) for the production of electricity finds consensus. In particular, Spain emphasizes the need to also consider other forms of geothermal energy, such as those at low temperatures (Low Enthalpy); a widespread approach to the installation of geothermal systems, capable of satisfying economic sustainability criteria for families, could generate considerable advantages in terms of energy savings. “The appropriate orientation of favoring the 20-year extension of the use of high temperature water (High Enthalpy) for the production of electricity is acceptable – he states – but also a widespread distribution throughout the territory of geothermal plants that satisfy in terms of economic sustainability for families, would also bring significant advantages in terms of energy savings”.
The widespread use of systems that exploit low temperature water, according to Spagna, would be combined with systems dedicated to the production of electricity from high and medium enthalpy sources, and would allow interventions on buildings using heat pumps with truly environmental and economic impacts. minimum. “In fact – continues the vice president – through systems that exchange heat, without any environmental interference and with an unchanged hydrogeological balance, It is possible to air-condition buildings using simple heat pumps. In this way, the impact on electricity production, for 1 million plants by 2030, would be really important, as it would decrease in the short term by over 6 TWh, to reach over 65 TWh in the medium and long term”.
This approach, if implemented on a large scale by 2030, could significantly contribute to reducing energy consumptionrepresenting an important step towards a more sustainable and efficient transition in the national energy sector, a perspective also recalled by the declarations of the CNG Councilor Coordinator of the Raw Materials and Energy Thematic Area, Emanuele Emani. “Currently, the costs for the installation of a single low enthalpy geothermal system – declares Emani – are approximately between 15,000 and 20,000 euros. The possibility of activating tax incentives, in the form of deductions distributed over a period of 10 years , could represent an essential catalyst to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable energy practices. This approach – continues Emani – would not only reduce initial costs for the operators involved, but would also give a significant boost to the green transition in our country. The positive effects would be perceivable in a tangible way, contributing substantially to the decarbonisation of the energy sector”.
Considering the current landscape and challenges related to climate change, it is imperative take concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources. Tax incentives for geothermal plants represent a concrete opportunity to support this cause, stimulating the transition towards a more environmentally friendly and resilient society.