«The South does not fully benefit from the low prices of the clean energy it generates. Today in Italy the energy market is linked to questionable mechanisms. We link the price of electricity to the last power station that closes the gap between supply and demand, therefore we often link it to gas. Which is more expensive. We make businesses and families pay more for electricity because this encourages renewables, which produce energy at lower costs and in fact with this mechanism generate very high margins for producers.”
Thus Roberto Occhiuto, president of the Calabria Region and national deputy secretary of Forza Italia, in an interview with Corriere della Sera. «This approach clashes with the failure to implement the zonal price, i.e. a system of tariffs that are different in the various regions or areas of the country depending on the average local cost of energy», said Occhiuto, explaining that «in my region there are many wind farms. Some time ago I brought some entrepreneurs to visit for investments in tourism, but they told me that they did not consider certain sites interesting precisely because of the presence of wind turbines. We give permits for those plants because it’s right. But we would do it with more enthusiasm and speed if there were zonal prices. That is, if Calabrian families and businesses were able to benefit from lower energy costs.” “The reform of zonal prices has remained blocked, when it could become a factor in attracting investments in areas with lower energy prices,” he added. «It is the only successful equalization between North and South: thanks to the renewable energy produced in the South, the North enjoys slightly lower bills. I’m not saying that we should keep all the cost benefit of solar and wind locally, which is 30% of the electricity exchange price, but at least 15% yes”, explained Occhiuto.