The drive towards innovation determined by decarbonisation objectives has become the vector of a new profound industrial transformation based on ‘clean technologies’. This is reshaping the global competitive context, as demonstrated by the ambitious public investment plans (e.g. the IRA or the Green Deal Industrial Plan). Beside their contribution in reducing sectoral emissions manufacturing industries produce those ‘clean technologies’. The competitive position of Italy and Europe with respect to these products is crucial for relaunching the continent’s economy.
The industrial transformation process implied by decarbonisation objectives entails several complexities. Technological solutions are not always mature or economical, and the transformation process needs to happen safeguarding competitiveness of production chains and jobs. However, there are solutions which can apply across the board and that are already available, such as the electrification of industrial process heat.
Italian manufacturing industry is responsible for 22% of national greenhouse gas emissions, or approximately 80MtCO2. Of these, 63% derives from the direct combustion of fossil fuels, in particular natural gas, used to produce thermal energy in production processes. Reducing demand for natural gas not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but contributes to national energy security goals.
Yet, electrifying today remains challenging for many industries which need an enabling political, economic and infrastructural ecosystem to move beyond the current barriers and seize the opportunities that come with electrification.
The European Commission is working at an EU level plan to deploy electrification across the continent with the Electrification Action Plan. At the same time, the Italian government is working on a new national industrial strategy. These two policies need to be connected and coherent.
Electrifying low-temperature heat seems a low-hanging fruit and yet is not happening at the speed that Europe needs to reach climate targets. Regulatory, financial and infrastructural barriers persist, this event will delve into them trying to identify what they are and how to tackle them in a policy dialogue between Italy and Europe.
Curated by
