The Region of Tuscany allies with the Gestore dei Servizi Energetici [Energy Services Management Company], the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s company that distributes incentives for the production of energy from renewable resources and promotes, at the informational level, green energy. In recent days, the two entities underwrote an agreement to collaborate on the regional territory to develop energy efficiency and the diffusion of energy harnessed from renewable resources.
On the basis of the most recent complete statistical report [compiled] by the GSE, at the end of 2011 Tuscany is the only Italian region that can count on a portfolio of “green” plants deriving from five energy sources: specifically, 125 sites that use hydro energy with 343MW of maximum output, 48 wind plants for a total of 45 MW of maximum output, 17,500 solar power installations, for a total of 470 MW, 58 installations for biomasses for 134 MW and 33 geothermal plants for 772 MW of power. Comprehensively, then, the Tuscan renewable energy assets amount to nearly 18,000 locations for a total of 1,800 MW, which can produced 7,100 GWh. If the solar sector is still the one with the highest growth rates – so much so that, just in 2012, based on GSE statistics, the number of installations grew by 42% compared to the previous years, and the maximum power by 38% – the geothermal sector represents the Tuscan peculiarity, since it is the only Italian region to host this type of installations, from which it derives a production of 5,600 GWh.
And this is the “green” scenario into which the collaboration between the Region of Tuscany and GSE inserts itself: the latter will provide the support and know-how to analyze the regional energy policies, to develop monitoring systems for renewable [resources], and to elaborate the regional norms in terms of energy and energy certifications for buildings. The goal: to increase the percentage of renewables compared to the total energy productions from the current 31%. The development of smart grids and the creation of production chains in the green economy are the “economic” goals, despite the fact hat Tuscany has already made strides forward in this sector: in 2012, the green economy index compiled by the Fondazione Impresa ranked Tuscany at the second place in the Italian rankings based on the performance in energy, in businesses and products, in agriculture, in tourism, in construction, in mobility and waste.