Geothermal energy: with Pangea project over 100 possible installations in the Po Valley with reduction of 17 million tons of CO2
“Unfortunately, until now in Italy the role of geothermal energy has been held back by the regulatory environment.”
A conference on geothermal energy and development opportunities is being held in Naples, organized by Atlantic Club of Naples at the University of Naples “Parthenope.” The work also includes that of Fri-El Geo, a developer of geothermal plants in Italy and which in Campania is securing 3 permits in Mondragone, Quarto, and Bagnoli for the necessary core drilling at a depth of about 3,000 meters, with the carbonate deposit at temperatures between 160°C and 250°C.
he national plan of Fri-El Geo, already presented to authorities and institutions including Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, includes more than 100 plants in identified areas, of which 22 are already in the pipeline. One hundred medium-enthalpy geothermal plants can avoid more than 17 million tons ofCO2 in the atmosphere and reduce gas consumption by more than 9.6 billion cubic meters.
During the conference, Andrea Ferrara, industrial relations manager of Fri-El Geo, said, “Enhancing geothermal energy as a renewable, programmable and continuous source of energy production means laying a solid foundation for our country’s future sustainable energy supply.” “Fri-El Geo, with its Pangea project, has identified more than 100 possible geothermal installations in the Po Valley basin alone, which if implemented would be able to reduce consumptionCO2 emissions into the atmosphere by more than 17 million tons in northern Italy alone.
Each of these plants, generating between 200 and 240 MWt, could heat more than 120 thousand homes. Unfortunately, until now in Italy the role of geothermal energy has been held back by a regulatory environment that, unlike for other renewable sources, does not provide adequate incentive systems. However, we are confident that the attention to our industry shown by Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin can lead to a significant breakthrough in terms of accelerated permitting and support from the state“.
