Impact of geothermal activities to local economy valued at $34m in Tuscany, Italy

Reported from Tuscany, Italy, the results of an agreement signed two years ago between Enel Green Power and the municipalities in the “geothermal region” in Tuscany are outright positive.

During a recent meeting, it is reported that the municipalities of Pomarance, Castelnuovo Val di Cecina, Monteverdi Marittimo, Monterotondo Marittimo, Radicondoli Chiusdino, have seen an economic impact of EUR 32 million (around $34 million) in 2016 or about 21% of the total procurement of geothermal projects.

Over the past three years, about EUR 100 million ($107 million) floated back into the local economy in the geothermal areas in Tuscany. The international work of Enel Green Power on geothermal projects, e.g. in Chile and Germany also provided contracts to two Tuscan companies worth about EUR 25 million.

There are now further municipalities joining the agreement expecting to profit from it already this year.

During the meeting, the head of geothermal at Enel Green Power, Massimo Montemaggi , the purchasing manager for geothermal Marco Cammelli and the Responsible Manager for institutional businesses in Italy Fabrizio Iaccarino also informed that the ‘geothermal energy provides a reduction in electricity prices for local small and medium enterprises and provision of heating to local businesses also increased in 2016, with about 331 GWh thermal energy supplied. This way a saving of 660,000 tons of oil equivalent were saved and saved emissions of 41,000 tons of CO2.

But there is more to come. New projects are moving forward including the installation of district heating connection to the City of Radicondoli, the start of work for the district heating network in the areas of “La Rota” in Piancastagnaio and in the future to “Aiole” between Santa Fiora and Arcidosso, the existing rebuilding of the plant at Montecerboli in Pomarance municipality, the design of civil and domestic district heating plants in Piancastagnaio and Chiusdino (town and village Montalcinello), and the start of the experimental greenhouse for growing seaweed spirulina at the Chiusdino plant in collaboration with the University of Florence and COSVIG.

The Lardarello office of Enel Green Power also confirmed its continued international excellence in geothermal energy, but also in wind and solar.

During the meeting, it was also stated that the continued trend of investments and the economic impact on the region will depend on the abilities of the companies to continue their growth and specialisation particularly on the electromechanical side, but also depend on the political and institutional decisions in matters of zoning and the possibility to continue geothermal development in Tuscany.

Source: QuiNews Volterra