Focus Energy efficiency
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Renewables subsidies, bigs of the European energy sector ask for a stop
Scaroni, MD of Eni, at the European Parliament: "no industrial recovery if the bills' costs do not drop. Need to abolish subsidies destined to renewables".
Paolo Scaroni, Managing Director of Eni, and Gerard Mestrallet, Chief Executive of Gdf Suez, became spokesmen of the nine European energy companies (Enel, E-On, gasNatural Fenosa, GasTerra, Iberdrola, Rwe and Vattenfall, as well as the italian Eni and Gdf Suez). In particular, according to Scaroni, who has been listened yesterday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the European energy policy is to be considered a failure. In fact, the subsidies destined to renewable energies, apart from costing 30 billion Euros per year, have also an excessive burden in the bill (over 18%).
With regard to the 20-20-20 strategy dated 2008, that foresaw a 20% reduction of greenhouse gases and energy consumption and the reaching of 20% of energy quotas proceeds by renewable sources, it aimed to produce all the necessary energy at a competitive price. “Until today – commented Scaroni – no purpose has been already reached and, specifically, the gas and energy price in Italy is highly superior to the American’s. This undermines the provision’s safety, while for the environment there have been no progress, so it is necessary to unburden the energy bill from the renewals’ subsidies”.
Scaroni and Mestrallet spoke of a real “energy emergency” that will not help the industrial recovery if the situation is not unblocked. Their solution, which has to be presented at the 2014 meetings on energy, foresees three proposals:
With regard to the 20-20-20 strategy dated 2008, that foresaw a 20% reduction of greenhouse gases and energy consumption and the reaching of 20% of energy quotas proceeds by renewable sources, it aimed to produce all the necessary energy at a competitive price. “Until today – commented Scaroni – no purpose has been already reached and, specifically, the gas and energy price in Italy is highly superior to the American’s. This undermines the provision’s safety, while for the environment there have been no progress, so it is necessary to unburden the energy bill from the renewals’ subsidies”.
Scaroni and Mestrallet spoke of a real “energy emergency” that will not help the industrial recovery if the situation is not unblocked. Their solution, which has to be presented at the 2014 meetings on energy, foresees three proposals:
- to limit energetic costs growth and incentivizing the research and development of the renewable energies less used, neglecting the financing of solar panels’ installation;
- to actualize the energy infrastructures’ financing to guarantee provision;
- to strengthen the European environmental conscience shaking the European market of CO2 quotas.
