(by Stefania De Francesco)
Immediately reduce the energy consumption of families and businesses, in the medium term start up new renewable energy plants (photovoltaic, wind and geothermal) looking to 2050 when the decarbonisation of the energy system is expected.
These are the three steps indicated by the Cnr expert and member of the National Academy of Sciences, Nicola Armarol, to reduce and then eliminate dependence on Russian gas, and more generally from abroad, to avoid the volatility of raw material prices. and gradually acquire energy autonomy by abandoning fossil fuels and also reducing pollution.
To cut 30 billion cubic meters of gas that Italy imported from Russia in 2021 out of the 70 billion total needs, Armaroli - speaking with ANSA - suggests in the short term to "consume less energy by reducing consumption by 10% first of all. in public and private buildings and in the industrial sector. Among the actions are simple gestures such as lowering one degree of heating and showers by 3-4 instead of 10 minutes. This diet can lead to savings of 7 billion without particular effort. of cubic meters of gas ".
In the medium term, continues Armaroli - who also directs the popular magazine 'Sapere' - more energy must be produced in Italy with renewables: "In the space of 2-3 years, for example with the green light of authorizations next June,
Increasing the import of gas from Algeria, Azerbaijan (with the TAP) and via Turkey (Tanap) does not protect against the risks inherent in an "addiction", observes the scientist who therefore indicates that the only way to free himself is to "change the system".
Italy, "like Europe, has little oil and gas and nuclear power was abandoned 30 years ago and economically is not convenient - recalls Armaroli - We should start from scratch by importing French, American or Russian technology with a sort of energy colonialism, in addition to the risk of rising costs, uncertainties about completion times and dependence on uranium, where the main world producer is Kazakhstan ".
Moreover, continues the scientist, "there are no interested investors".
In the meantime, however, the government is thinking about a few more billion cubic meters of gas (3-4) that could be recovered "at home", reaching a total of 20 billion cut to Russia, increasing the flow rate of regasification plants and building new ones "so it would take no less than three years", explains Armaroli, compatibly with the availability of the selling countries and the arrival and "disembarkation" times of liquefied natural gas (LNG);
and there is also the hypothesis of the reopening of coal-fired power plants.
In short, two options which however "do not solve the problem - explains Armaroli - not only in terms of quantities but also because in the case of coal we should always import it from Indonesia, South Africa, Australia or Russia again".
In addition to fueling greenhouse gas emissions: "
