(Finance) – “The Southern Gas Corridor takes on even greater significance on the double track of security of supply and the energy transition itself in the wake of the outcomes of COP28 and in view of the work of COP29. From its entry into operation at the end of 2020 to today Italy imported with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (Tap)26 billion cubic meters of gas“. This was said by the Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, in Baku while participating in the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor (TAP) and the second Ministerial Meeting of the Advisory Council for Green Energy .
“In 2023, with 10 billion cubic meters – Pichetto Fratin recalled – the TAP was the second supply route for us, helping to compensate for the abandonment of Russian gas and avoid price volatility”. “For this reason, to strengthen the TAP – he added – Italy, Greece and Albania have defined a process to increase the capacity of the gas pipeline which, from 2026, will grow by 1.2 billion cubic meters, reaching 11.2 billion m3/year, with the objective of a maximum capacity of 20 billion of cubic meters per year”. “To allow the major gas supply flows to be channeled towards Italy itself and Europe – announced Minister Pichetto Fratin – we are committed to strengthening the “Adriatic Line”. “It’s about numbers and interventions cwhich are part of the broader strategy that the Government led by President Meloni is conducting to make Italy an energy and energy security hub on the south-north axis, but as demonstrated today also on the east-west one”. The minister he reminded the representatives of all the countries present that “gas is and will remain a source of transition, a transition that must be accelerated in the common objective of decarbonization and energy security”.
“With our national energy and climate plan – Minister Pichetto recalled – we have set the objective of installing 74 GW of new renewable energy capacity compared to 2021 by 2030 and covering 65% of final electricity consumption by 2030″. “As the G7 Presidency – he concluded – we have placed these issues at the center of the Climate and Energy agenda and also within the G7 we intend to collaborate actively with Azerbaijan, as Presidency of COP29, promoting a safe, sustainable and just energy transition globally”