Press release 2009

MILAN HAS A NEW ENERGY WITH ENERSOLAR+
Press release no. 167/09
(04/11/2009)

From 25 to 28 November, the new event dedicated to photovoltaic and thermal solar power will take place, for a sector that is raising growing interest and offers important business opportunities.

Renewable energies are growing staggeringly and are gaining more and more interest. This can be seen from the economic data of the sector, research and new show such as EnerSolar+, which will be held from 25 to 28 November at fieramilano, Rho.
EnerSolar+ is the event focussed on photovoltaic and thermal solar power organized by Artenergy Publishing and Fiera Milano Tech. It will be held alongside Greenergy Expo, the show made up of different halls dedicated to the biogas industry; energy from wood; mini hydro-electrical energy; the pellet industry; co- and tri-generation; geothermal energy and heat pumps; the free energy market. Both events will have on show renewable energies in their most immediately available and realizable applications aimed at end users, and for this reason the show has been extended to Saturday.

Italians are "solar"

Renewable energies are welcomed, as demonstrated by a recent survey carried out by IPR Marketing on behalf of the UniVerde Foundation and presented at the ZeroEmission Rome 2009 fair, according to which 80% of Italians indicate the various types of solar energy as the main energy of their choice. The research also analyzes other aspects concerning the idea that Italian citizens have about solar energy: 90% consider it safe and 95% say it is compatible with the environment. Moreover, 54% has considered solar energy in their choice of energy, but the majority of people (61%) think that there are too many bureaucratic problems involved in its installation.
The same survey revealed that the public criticizes, on the other hand, the incentives of the Energy Account: in fact, only 33% of Italian citizens know about them. On the other hand, 81% would like to see for further incentives, while only 11% think that those already in force are sufficient. "This data demonstrates that, for Italian citizens, the Energy Account for photovoltaics must be maintained, and, moreover, that the incentives for solar power should be increased in the next years, to get the same good results with regards to the activation of photovoltaic systems," said Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, previously Minister of the Environment and now president of the UniVerde Foundation. "For this reason we have launched a petition in which we are asking the Minister of Economic Development to continue with the Energy Account."
In this respect, Luciano Barra, of the Department for Energy of the Economic Development Ministry, during a conference that was held at the beginning of October during the ZeroEmission Rome 2009 fair, said: "I do not believe that the doubts and fears regarding the continuation of the Energy Account for photovoltaics are founded, also because at the end of 2010 we must reach the limit of threshold 1,2 GW of which incentives are foreseen now, and this is an evaluation process following on from the policies already in force. In this sense, we want to encourage the creation of a manufacturing chain developing the national capacity for the production of components. The Government already has methods and ideas to promote research and industrial capacity and, moreover, ensure adequate market openings. Therefore, the outline of the new Energy Account is already ready, and will soon undergo confrontation with the Environment Ministry and with the Unified Conference of State, Regions, Local Bodies - Conferenza Unificata Stato Regioni Enti locali. There are also incentives for thermo-dynamic solar power and we are presently considering the possibility of doing the same for concentrating solar power."
The growth of photovoltaics is also confirmed by the GSE (Electrical Service Management). According to Costantino Lato, head of the Unità Ingegneria - Enginering Unit "By the end of 2009 we will have reached 900 MW of installed power, with 70,000 installed plants, and by the end of 2010 we foresee that there will be 1,500 MW of installed power and 100,000 plants. Most of the more than 54,000 photovoltaic plants today in Italy are small and are for domestic use. This corresponds, therefore, to the best requirement to realize distributed generation in Italy: the creation of small and flexible energy production centres near the areas of consumption."

Synergies

Until Friday 27 November, together with EnerSolar+ and Greenergy Expo, HTE-Hi.Tech.Expo, the show dedicated to the world of science, research and advanced technologies, made up of different complementary and specialized fairs, will also take place. The day before the inauguration of the fair, INVEX 2009, the first event in the world dedicated to the inverter industry, will also take place, and will attract operators of this sector in which Italy has a very important role. Also on Tuesday 24 November, the international conference Renewables & Energy Efficiency Summit, organized by Business International, will take place, and will continue the next day too.

Press Office, Rosella Sola, Davide Grassi, Tel. 02.66306866 - Fax 02.66305510 - e-mail press@zeroemission.eu