Cogeneration: associations call for a permanent table, appropriate policies and strategies

“The hope is that the Government and Parliament will be able to adopt policies and strategies capable of strengthening the use of cogeneration over the next ten years, by virtue of the benefits brought in terms of energy, the environment, and competitiveness to the energy system and national businesses”. This concludes the Appeal to the Government and Parliament on the combined production of electricity and heat (cogeneration) sent today to the competent Institutions and illustrated in the dedicated workshop held at K.EY – The Energy Transition Expo.

The appeal, promoted by FIRE and co-signed by Assocarta, Cogen Europe, Consorzio italiano biogas, Confindustria Ceramica, Coordinamento FREE, Federchimica, and Italcogen, highlights the uncertainties and risks regarding cogeneration, a solution widely used in our country, due to an evolution of European legislation that puts at risk not only new developments, but also what has been widely adopted over the decades by our companies in industry and the tertiary sector and by hospitals and other public organisms. In the absence of appropriate legislative interventions, the associations’ representatives pointed out during the workshop, there will be negative consequences for the security of the national electricity system, for the competitiveness of the companies that use this solution, for decarbonisation objectives, and for primary energy consumption.

Among the requests is that a permanent round table be set up immediately with the associations involved in the sector in order to identify the best strategies to safeguard high-efficiency cogeneration and avoid the possible negative repercussions for the country in view of the economy’s decarbonisation path.