At a time when the energy crisis worsens under the threats from Moscow and the new Aid Decree is awaited (there is talk of a figure between 6 and 12 billion), the Minister for Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani speaks again, after the European gas price roof agreement has vanished.

The reduction of consumption by individual citizens

The good daily actions taken by citizens to cut energy consumption are useful, but they are not easy to implement.

This summarizes the doubts expressed by the Minister for Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani on the possibility that citizens are obliged to use one appliance at a time.

In an interview with Radio 24, the minister spoke at length about the steps that are being taken in Europe and Italy to tackle the energy crisis, starting with the plan for families.

“There is a flurry of rumors and indiscretions about what the Commission is working on - he said.

From a technical point of view, I have some doubts.

Not all European citizens have an electronic meter at home.

It seems difficult to me to implement.

I find it reasonable that there is a moral suasion form to use the correct time slots and have a correct sequence of electrical devices in the house, but citizens already do it automatically to save on crazy costs. "According to Cingolani, it is difficult for a measure of this type, but the proposals will arrive shortly.

Regarding the possibility of reducing heating by one degree, the minister then added that there will be no controls for individuals because there is a problem of privacy and it is "very difficult to get into the citizens' boilers and showers".

At the level of the Commission "there is a voluntary cut of 15% in consumption and a compulsory cut with more stringent criteria which for Italy is 7%, three and a half billion cubic meters. We respect all parameters, both voluntary and the mandatory ones ".

"We need to explain exactly what needs to be done to save, rather than put sanctions," she concluded.

The Minister for Ecological Transition then spoke in the round about what are the solutions against expensive gas and what obstacles to overcome.

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Self-reading from the domestic gas meter

Little savings with daylight saving time

The maintenance of daylight saving time - he explained - and a greater application of smart working would give little advantage from the point of view of energy saving. 

The two themes were evaluated.

"We have studies on maintaining daylight saving time - answered the minister to a specific question - That hour that is gained in the evening is lost in the morning. The average advantage is not very high. And if it is not done jointly with the other countries, then, there are significant problems for the change at the border. It is not particularly useful for saving but if there should be an exacerbation of the problem we will consider it ".

The minister added that "there was also talk of Smart Working: but 30 per cent of people always remain in the office and the cost-benefit ratio is not so immediate".

Accelerate the unblocking of new plants

On the other hand, the release of the new plants should be immediate.

“There is a huge amount of energy power from new plants that are stopped because there are superintendencies blocking the authorization for a landscape issue,” Minister Cingolani said during the interview.

"There are two points on which to get your hands on - he explained - one is the speed, having the implant I connect. It is absurd that one makes all the efforts and then waits six months for the connection. The second is that there is a huge amount of power from new plants blocked because the superintendencies block the landscape authorization. I understand the importance of the landscape, I find it tedious to say that the landscape is under the Constitution, we are in an emergency. We need to understand what the priority is: Is it the energy emergency, the holding of the industrial country and the citizens or the landscape? In my opinion we must speed up and unblock the blocked plants. We bring them to the Council of Ministers but there are many and we are moving forward slowly. to the detriment of citizens ". 

Gas at a controlled price for companies

"The Government - continued Cingolani - is working on a measure to give - a certain quantity of gas at a controlled price to the companies that are suffering, the measure should arrive next week, after which it must be voted in Parliament. gas available - he said - they are not non-profit organizations, they are companies listed on the stock exchange, they cannot be asked to give the state gas to be given at a discounted price, there are investors to whom they must explain the operation ”.

"At the same time we are thinking - added the minister - to allow the extraction of a small but significant quantity of gas, four or five billion cubic meters from existing fields without counting the upper Adriatic, which is critical for many reasons, to increase Italian autonomy and to allow operators to compensate for this effort they would make to give our companies gas at a discounted price. I hope it will be voted positively because it is the only thing we can do to alleviate the suffering of companies. If someone votes against it, then he will have to explain it to the companies ".

Renewables are not enough, think about nuclear power

If on the storage front Cingolani reassures, "at the moment they are between 84 and 85 per cent. We must reach 90 by October. We are also a little early", optimism is waning on the renewable energy front.

"With renewables we will not be able to keep the second manufacturing in Europe going forever, the only alternative with the exit from coal and gas is nuclear" said the minister, explaining that acceleration on renewables is essential "but you have to have something else, continuous and programmable sources ".

"We must - he explained - get out of coal and gas because they produce CO2, the only alternative is new generation nuclear power, not old power plants. If we do not make this technological and ideal choice, we will never be able to unblock ourselves. ideological wall that is at the expense of our children. We are blocking the future of our children with today's ideologies and this is not good ".

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Wind turbines, renewable energies, green

“We must - he explained - get out of coal and gas… the only alternative is new generation nuclear power… There is an ideological wall that is to the detriment of our children.

We are blocking the future of our children "

Roberto Cingolani, Minister for Ecological Transition