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Baltic Sea wind farm Arcadis Ost 1 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Italy wants to build similar turbines off its own coast

Photo: Stefan Sauer / dpa

The Italian government has decided to invest billions of euros in the energy transition. A total of 27.4 billion euros is to be invested in the expansion of renewable energies, the reduction of bureaucracy, aid for energy-intensive companies and new import terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG). This is according to a new regulation. "We want to accelerate the development of renewable energies in order to meet the 2030 targets," said Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto.

Among other things, the text of the ordinance identifies "state-owned sea areas" in two southern Italian ports for the "production, assembly and commissioning of floating platforms" for wind turbines. Further measures are intended to encourage around 3800,<> energy-intensive companies, for example in the glass and textile industries, to switch to green energy sources.

Construction projects for onshore LNG terminals are also declared "urgent strategic interventions of public benefit". This should encourage work on two such projects in southern Italy, Porto Empedocle in Sicily and Gioia Tauro in Calabria. Critics say the new gas infrastructure is unnecessary and an obstacle to phasing out fossil fuels.

mamk/AFP