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Large show of opposition to cuts in geothermal energy support in Tuscany

Large show of opposition to cuts in geothermal energy support in Tuscany Light installation at Larderello geothermal plant, Tuscany/ Italy (source: Luca Serasini)
Alexander Richter 3 Dec 2018

In a large show in Larderello in Tuscany/ Italy, unions, parties and private citizens demonstrated against cuts to geothermal incentives proposed by the Italian government.

In Larderello in Tuscany/ Italy, unions, parties and Tuscan geothermal municipalities have rallied against the initiative suggested by the Ministry of Economic Development that puts 3,000 jobs at risk in the region.

“Geothermics”: this is the slogan of at least 2,000 people who took part in a demonstration in Larderello, in the province of Pisa, against the planned cuts of incentives for geothermal plants proposed by the country’s Ministry of Economic Development in the scheme of Legislative Decree Fer 1. In the square were found unions, parties, representatives of the Tuscan geothermal municipalities and citizens.

Renewable energies

The geothermal sector in Tuscany employs around 3,000 people in the provinces of Pisa, Siena and Grosseto. “We defend the riches that nature has given us by protecting the environment we live in more and more”, wrote the promoters of the event in a leaflet. “We defend the knowledge and the work that has been handed down to us and do not allow ignorance, arrogance and political calculation to prevail over them. No to the decree with the exclusion of geothermal energy from renewable energy and incentives “.

“We ask the government to restore the incentive to geothermal energy as it is the oldest and most natural renewable energy in the world that everyone envies us and asks us to make the experience available to us. So much so that even Europe has confirmed geothermal energy among renewable energies to be encouraged “, writes in a statement the Uil. In Italy there are 34 geothermal power plants for approximately 800 MW installed, which produce almost 6 TWh (terawatt hours) of electricity annually and heat used directly in urban district heating and for production activities.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy exploits the natural heat produced by the Earth: it is considered the best source of renewable energy. Tuscany was the first in the world to transform natural heat into electricity: the first generator dates back to 1904, but Italy has remained behind as production capacity and modernization of the plants. In order to find new geothermal fields, deep perforations are necessary which have an environmental impact also for the fluids and the gases they emit. The M5S has always contested incentives for environmental reasons, but experts say that technology today overcomes these drawbacks and confirms the development of geothermal energy throughout the world. Italy excluded, where geothermal energy is stuck in the 1960s.

Note: The sector recently celebrated 100 years of geothermal power generation in Larderello, which saw the first geothermal power plant in the world with huge implications for further geothermal development around the world.

Source: Corriera dela sera