ITALY
40,000 MW to decarbonising electricity
The Italy's program is a great initiative of distributed generation with low energy intensity, provides for the construction of about 40,000 baseload power plants from 1MW each (40 GW) with a total investment costs of € 140 billion.
This expansion rate suggests that the overall electrification project for the country can be reached in the next 10 years, assuming that technical, physical and financial barriers can be eliminated.
Energy Situation
Italian electricity production is unique in Europe, if in general the average of electricity production is for 60-70% generated from a mix of coal and nuclear power, in Italy gas has got the predominance.
Electricity balance
Production: 267 billion kWh
Consumption: 291 billion kWh
Exports: 3 billion kWh
Imports: 47 billion kWh
Installed generating capacity: 122 million kW
-from fossil fuels: 65.1%
-from nuclear fuels: 0%
-from hydroelectric plants: 11.5%
-from other renewable sources: 23.4%
Rate of self sufficiency: 35%
Investment Plan
Planned Objective
Invest in new renewable generation capacity to start a realistic national coal phase-out plan to decarbonising electricity .
Action plan
A large distributed energy generation program are started, will be implemented in 10 years with an investment of € 14 billion per year.
The plan requires the construction and the financing of:
- Capacity building ............40,000 MW;
- Expected costs .... ...........€140 billion;
- Timeline...............................10 years.
Implementation Plan
PROJECT SUMMARY
The Global Electrification Project for the promotion and development of renewable distributed power systems in Europe it started in Italy.
At this stage, the primary objective is the development, construction and operation of 8,000 power stations of 1 MW each, utilizing the HPS technology.
The first 600 power plants are located in the industrial sites. Independent engineering, environmental and social analyses have verified site and surrounding conditions as acceptable and estimated the costs, benefits and consequences of the project.
In Italy, electricity generated from renewable energy sources is promoted through a number of feed-in and premium tariffs, grid operators are obliged to give priority access to renewable energy plants in the operation of their grids. They are also obliged to give priority dispatch to electricity from renewable sources. Plant operators may request their grid operator to expand the grid if the connection of a plant requires this expansion.
TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES
The advent of HPS technology, among the power generation systems, solves one of the most problematic aspects of renewable energy: intermittent production.
For a power grid, the amount of intermittent sources directly connectable has a precise technical limit. The amplitude of this limitation characterizes the network and its overload puts the entire system at risk of blackouts.
In Italy, renewable power penetration has reached values around 35% and is approaching dangerously to the network's stability limit.
HPS technology is a non-intermittent power source and allows 100% renewable electrical systems. HPS technology is a fast-start system that can produce 24 hours a day in the same way as fossil or nuclear thermoelectric power plants.
The plants will be located in the national territory according to the Distributed Generation criteria.
Distributed energy generation means the relocation of electricity production units in the territory. Like any network-based model, the "distributed" system provides greater capacity for adaptation and flexibility of production units in relation to consumer centers.
REGION & CAPACITY
PLANNED ENERGY INITIATIVES
- Abruzzo: 1,000 MW
- Basilicata: 400 MW
- Calabria: 2,000 MW
- Campania: 3,500 MW
- Emilia Romagna: 2,500 MW
- Friuli Venezia Giulia: 1,000 MW
- Lazio: 3800 MW
- Liguria: 1,100 MW
- Lombardy: 5,000 MW
- Marche: 1,100 MW
- Molise: 200 MW
- Piedmont: 3,500 MW
- Puglia: 2,500 MW
- Sardinia: 2,000 MW
- Sicily: 3,500 MW
- Trentino Alto Adige: 700 MW
- Tuscany: 2,500 MW
- Umbria: 600 MW
- Valle d'Aosta: 100 MW
- Veneto: 3,000 MW
Initiated the first regional projects
A total of €2.1 billion will be invested in a combination of:
- 600 power generation companies; and
- Environmental impact investment funds.
The commissioned 600 MW are located in the Veneto, Trentino, Friuli V.G., Emilia-Romagna and Puglia regions. At this stage, the project will provide 600 MW of guaranteed capacity and 5,128 billion kWh per year for sale to the Energy Services Manager (GSE) under a 20-year electricity purchase agreement.