(Finance) – The European Commission gave the green light to decree Italian to incentivize the spread of self-consumption of energy from renewable sources. “We are facing a turning point, a new historical phase in the relationship between citizens and energy”, commented the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Picket. “Oral Renewable energy communities – he explained – they could become a widespread reality in the country, developing renewable sources and finally making the territory the protagonist of the national energy future. Thanks to the energy communities, in fact, each citizen will be able to contribute to the production of renewable energy, and have the economic benefits deriving from self-consumption, even if they do not directly have the spaces necessary for the construction of RES plants”.
“Due to its uniqueness, the measure Italian – added Pichetto – required strong attention from the European Commission, which however fully validated the model Italian: today this therefore represents a forerunner for other experiences on the continent”. “I want to thank all the structures of the Ministry and the Italian representation in Brussels for the result obtained – concluded Pichetto –, for the technical value of the regulations and for the always proactive dialogue with the European bodies”.
The Italian decree focuses on two measures: one rate encouraging on renewable energy produced and shared and a contribution to bottom lost. The financeable power is equal to five Gigawatts in total, with a time limit at the end of 2027.
Furthermore, for communities built in municipalities under 5,000 inhabitants, a non-repayable contribution of up to 40% of the eligible costs is provided in relation to the investment made to build a new plant or to upgrade an existing one. This measure is financed with 2.2 billion from the PNRR, with the aim of achieving a total power of at least 2 Gigawatts. The non-repayable contribution may be cumulated with the incentive rate within defined limits.
THE benefits foreseen concern all the technologies renewable, such as photovoltaic, wind, hydroelectric and biomass. For CERs, the recipients of the measure can be groups of citizens, condominiums, small and medium-sized businesses, but also local authorities, cooperatives, associations and religious bodies. The power of individual systems cannot exceed one megawatt.
Initial step for the creation of a CERafter the identification of theaffected area to the construction of the system and the primary substation, is the constitutive act of the association, which must have environmental, economic and social benefits as its prevailing social object. The person managing the measure is the GSEwhich will evaluate the requirements for access to the benefits and will provide the incentives and which, at the request of the interested parties, may possibly verify eligibility on a preliminary basis.