Italy shifting focus toward alternative energy amidst financial crisis
April 20, 2012Prime Minister Mario Monti proposes several initiatives to promote alternative energy.
Italy is currently in the throes of an economic crisis, along with other countries within Europe. This crisis has spurred change in the country, much of which has been directed at its political and economic structures and paradigms. The crisis has also sparked a change in the mindset of the government, leading Italy to consider alternative energy as an economic and political issue rather than one solely about the environment. Now, the government is looking to introduce a number of new laws and regulations that could help alternative energy play a bigger role in the country’s future.
This week, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti introduced several proposals that are considered to be pro-alternative energy. The Prime Minister has unveiled plans to introduce a carbon tax, which would have the country’s businesses pay for the emissions they produce every year. The proceeds from the tax would go toward funding alternative energy projects and developing new energy systems. These systems would, in turn, help the country cut ties with fossil-fuels and foreign sources of energy, thereby lowering costs and alleviating stress on the Italian economy.
The Prime Minister also revealed tentative plans for a solar energy…
feed-in tariff similar to ones seen in Germany and the U.S. Italy is already home to a robust solar energy market, but the government believes that this market could grow at an exponential rate if citizens were encouraged to adopt solar power. The feed-in tariff would reward Italians for installing solar energy systems in their homes. Surplus electricity generated by these systems would be sold to the government, which could serve to stimulate the economy and cut energy costs and consumption significantly.
Italy is one among many European countries tangled in a financial catastrophe.
These countries have been looking for solutions from the financial and insurance industries, but have not yet found a remedy for their problems. Italy believes a solution may exist in the use of alternative energy. Thus, the country is now working to promote alternative energy as a possible solution for the economic troubles seen throughout the region.
Article: Italy shifting focus toward alternative energy amidst financial crisis
Article Source: Hydrogen Fuel News
Author: Erin Kilgore