The unlocking of Renewable Energy Communities may finally be near. After many solicitations – the last one on Tuesday 15 November with the sit-in of NGOs, mayors and local administrators in Rome – a reassurance has arrived from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security. Minister Gilberto Pichetto said that the implementing decree “is ready”, which will provide a complete and definitive regulatory framework on CERs and, upon his return from Cop27 in Egypt, will launch a public consultation to share its contents with all interested parties and acquire proposals.
«Incentives for Municipalities with 2.2 billion Pnrr funds»
Deputy Minister Vannia Gava, who met a delegation of demonstrators who protested outside the ministry headquarters, added that the provision “will allow the creation of energy communities up to 1 MW and to incentivize Municipalities with 2.2 billion of Pnrr funds ».
Production and exchange of clean energy
For the ministry, “it is a priority” to support the Cer, associations between subjects (for example individual citizens, SMEs, local administrations, research and religious bodies) that produce, consume and exchange energy from renewable sources. With consequent environmental advantages (because they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and favor the ecological transition) and economic advantages (because they obtain government subsidies and incentives for shared electricity).
The obstacles
But, recalls Legambiente which demonstrated with the Network of Solidarity Energy Communities, Kyoto Club, Free, Next, «out of 100 energy communities mapped up to June 2022, just 16 managed to complete the activation process at the GSE (Manager of energy) and of these only three received the first state incentives». Here is the protest to say “enough of delays and obstacles” by the ministry, by Arera (the Regulatory Authority for energy, networks and the environment) and by the GSE who keep the CERs “in check” due to “bureaucratic delays and lack of the implementing rules, even though these are a concrete solution to counter high bills, the climate emergency and energy poverty”.
Times
After the Arera has defined by this weekend, according to expectations, the reduction of system charges and the subsidized tariffs, Minister Pichetto will coordinate “with the other institutional subjects – in particular with Minister Fitto and the Regions – to ensure the best implementation of the incentive measures also based on the Pnrr”. Deputy Minister Gava added that the funds for the Municipalities “are the subject of a discussion with the European Commission, to define the regulatory framework relating to state aid”.