Geothermal royalties to help cut power costs in Radicondoli, Italy
View at Randicondoli, Tuscany, Italy (source: flickr/ Benjamin Rabe, creative commons)
Carlo Cariaga
7 Feb 2023
The locals of Radicondoli in Tuscany, Italy may be reimbursed 30% of electricity costs thanks to funding provided by geothermal royalties.
The Municipality of Radicondoli in Tuscany, Italy is offering tenders for households and businesses to apply for a disbursement of 30% of the expenditure incurred for electricity in 2022. Funding for this disbursement will come from the WivoaRadicondoli 2.0 project which has been financed by royalties from local geothermal plants.
The disbursement will cover up to EUR 400 per family for households and up to EUR 5000 per company for businesses. The call for tenders expires on 15 February 2023.
In Tuscany, geothermal power plants supply to the national electricity grid. Thus, local users do not benefit directly in terms of reduction in power costs. With this decision of the Municipality of Radicondoli together with the Consortium for the Development of Geothermal Areas (CoSviG), part of the geothermal royalties will be used to reduce the electricity expenses of the local population.
“It is the first commitment that we have made with WivoaRadicondoli 2.0 and now it is already a reality,” said Radicondoli Mayor Francesco Guarguaglini. “The other opportunities that are part of the entire project will soon be released for a total amount of 641,000 euros – 425,000 for families and homes, and 216,000 for businesses. Basically a second PNRR in municipal format to support the development of the territory. We have given priority to what is a real emergency: the cost of energy.”
“We reduce the cost of heating with district heating, or with the heat that comes from geothermal energy, and where it has not yet arrived with ad hoc calls for renewables and heat sources. Now we are also intervening on the costs of electricity,” further added Guarguaglini.
Geothermal royalties will also be used to fund the planned expansion of the geothermal district heating network in Radicondoli. When this is completed, this project will make Radicondoli a candidate for the first 100% carbon-free municipality in Tuscany.
Source: CoSviG
