Il Mite has published the Regulation to «immediately realize useful savings at a European level to prepare for any interruptions in gas supplies from Russia». Among the measures envisaged a reduction of 1 degree for the heating of buildings, from 17 with plus or minus 2 degrees of tolerance for buildings used for industrial, artisanal and similar activities, from 19 with plus or minus 2 degrees of tolerance for all other buildings. “The operating limits of heating systems – reads the Regulation -, with respect to the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 4 of Presidential Decree n.74 / 2013, are reduced by 15 days as regards the ignition period (postponing by 8 days the start date and bringing the year end date forward by 7 days) and by 1 hour as regards the daily duration of ignition “. Sensitive users, such as hospitals, nursing homes, etc. are reserved.
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The estimates of the impact of all the containment measures indicated by the Regulation “lead to a potential of approximately 5.3 billion cubic meters of gas, considering the maximization of electricity production from fuels other than gas (approximately 2.1 billion of gas cubic meters) and the savings associated with the containment of heating (approximately 3.2 billion cubic meters of gas) ». Not only. To these, explains the Mite, are added the behavioral measures to be promoted through user awareness campaigns for the purpose of a more virtuous behavior in consumption.
The set of the expected contribution, from the measures adopted by the MITE together with voluntary behavioral measures, in the efficient use of energy “leads to a reduction in consumption consistent with 15% of the EU Regulation, therefore equal to at least 8.2 billion Smc of natural gas ».
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The measures adopted for the security of gas supplies
Paragraph 1 of the Regulation explains the “Measures adopted for the security of gas supplies”, aimed at “ensuring a high degree of filling of storage for the winter of 2022-2023” and “rapidly diversifying the origin of imported gas”. As regards the first measure relating to storage – we read -, the government has set a national target for the filling of storage areas of at least 90%, a value confirmed during the parliamentary conversion of the provision, defining the main implementation measures.
On the other hand, as regards the measures to diversify the origin of the imported gas, an agreement was signed for the gradual increase in gas supplies from Algeria, which will make it possible to make the most of the current available transport capacities of the pipeline that arrives in Sicily, supplying increasing volumes of gas as early as 2022.
The new routes
Not only. The government, in coordination with Eni and Snam, has taken steps to guarantee supplies of LNG from new routes, in particular: up to 3.5 billion cubic meters from Egypt, up to 1.4 billion cubic meters from Qatar, up to to 4.6 billion cubic meters progressively from Congo, and approximately 3.0-3.5 billion cubic meters from supplies under negotiation from other countries such as Angola, Nigeria, Mozambique, Indonesia and Libya.
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The first regasifier
The government’s goal is to have the first floating regasification plant in operation as soon as possible, by the first months of 2023, and subsequently and in any case by 2024, also the second plant. This, underlines the Mite, is essential above all to be able to face the winter 2023 – 2024, considering that with great probability the storage will be fully used in the winter season 2022-2023 and therefore it will be necessary to adequately replenish the reserves. The set of initiatives implemented makes it possible to replace approximately 30 billion cubic meters of Russian gas by 2025 with approximately 25 billion cubic meters of gas from various sources, bridging the gap with renewable sources and energy efficiency policies.