Energy Release 2.0: A new opportunity for energy-intensive businesses and the growth of renewables

With the Energy Release 2.0 program, Italy is introducing a concrete tool to link the energy transition to industrial growth.

The mechanism, managed by GSE on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, is aimed at energy-intensive companies , i.e. companies with high electricity needs, offering them the possibility of accessing energy supplies at controlled prices for a period of 36 months.

In exchange, companies commit to building new renewable energy generation plants —photovoltaic, wind, or hydroelectric—or to upgrading existing ones, increasing installed capacity.

The objective is twofold: first, to promote energy cost reductions for the most exposed production sectors; second, to stimulate the growth of green electricity generation, in line with Europe's decarbonization goals.

Operational innovations and main features

Energy Release 2.0 introduces a series of operational innovations compared to the first version of the program:

• the possibility for companies to participate also through third parties (aggregators or renewable producers) who support their technical implementation;
• a competitive procedure managed by GSE to assign energy and select the most effective projects;
• a regulated supply price, around €65/MWh, which allows for more stable planning of electricity costs;
• a commitment to repay the energy advanced over a 20-year period, starting from the entry into operation of the plants.

The program also requires the new plants to be completed within 40 months of signing the contract, ensuring a rapid impact on national installed capacity.

Opportunities for the HVAC/R sector

For the air conditioning, refrigeration and environmental comfort supply chain, Energy Release 2.0 represents a strategic opportunity to promote the integration between renewable production and plant systems .

Energy-intensive companies that choose to invest in new photovoltaic or wind power capacity can connect direct energy production to:

• electrified HVAC-R systems, such as heat pumps and high-efficiency chillers;
• ventilation and air treatment systems optimised for self-energy consumption;
• monitoring and control technologies capable of dynamically managing the flows of energy produced and used.

For designers and installers, the mechanism opens up new perspectives in the field of integrated design : from the definition of the installable power to the analysis of the overall energy return, also considering electrical storage and intelligent demand management.

A step forward towards industrial decarbonisation

Energy Release 2.0 consolidates a model in which sustainability is no longer a constraint, but a lever for efficiency and competitiveness.

Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting local renewable energy production means strengthening the entire industrial ecosystem, creating synergies between production sectors, technological innovation, and the plant supply chain.

For the HVAC-R sector, this new scenario represents a growth opportunity where energy and comfort become part of a single sustainability strategy.