It resembles the ticking of a clock. Countering climate change and redesigning energy supply is a challenge as promising as it is urgent. Photovoltaic panels and wind farms are the pillars on which the future of sustainable energy rests.
The former exploit sunlight to generate electricity through the photovoltaic phenomenon. They are composed of photovoltaic cells and directly transform sunlight into electricity. Their efficiency is constantly improving thanks to technological developments in the sector, making solar energy one of the most competitive sources. On the other hand, the sun is one of the most abundant and inexhaustible resources available to the Earth. And in regions with high solar radiation, such as Italy, it can significantly contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Wind farms are divided into offshore, which exploit the power of the wind off the coast to generate energy, and onshore, on the mainland. Also called floating parks, they rely on a reliable source: the wind blowing offshore. Furthermore, the fact that they are positioned off the coast allows the visual and acoustic impact on the area to be reduced to a minimum, making them a less invasive solution. The latter is a recurring problem in places where there are landscape and cultural constraints that sometimes slow down the programs of energy companies. Onshore power plants, on the other hand, are often located on hills. In any case, the same complex authorization processes necessary from the conception of the project to the start of the construction site weigh on the green path of our country.
The main European market is Germany, where 125 TWh are recorded on average per year. Berlin has made a choice, defined by some as risky: to close all nuclear plants and invest in on- and offshore wind turbines. The German path to renewables starts from an acceptable assumption: it is not only one of the solutions to the climate crisis, but also economic and employment opportunities that can thrive. Italy, with its Mediterranean climate and vast coastal territory, has enormous potential for the development of renewable energy. The growing adoption of photovoltaic panels, both residentially and industrially, is helping to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil and gas. After Germany and Spain, the Italian market is the third largest in Europe. Incentives on the one hand and technological progress on the other have also affected production and installation prices, which are decidedly lower than ten years ago.
But in order to truly take an important step forward we need to move beyond the logic of national states. In this regard, Europe has set an ambitious production target for the end of this decade: to generate as many as 1000 Gw of combined wind and solar energy by 2030. It won't be very simple. This involves doubling current capacity over almost five years. But the Old Continent is aware, as is the United States, where the federal government with the Inflation Reduction Act in 2021 established that offshore wind capacity must reach 30 Gw in 2030 and 110 in 2050.
Expensive plans, sure, but necessary and far-sighted.