Energy Management
Incentives for businesses that consume large amounts of gas: what they are, and how they work
According to the Ministerial Decree of 21 December 2021, companies that use a significant amount of natural gas (‘gas-intensive companies’) have an average annual consumption, calculated for the reference period, of at least 1 GWh/year (i.e. 94,582 Sm3/year, considering a gross calorific value for natural gas of 10.57275 kWh/Sm3). These businesses must operate in the sectors indicated in annex 1 to the decree.
Requirements
To be eligible, companies must demonstrate that they have taken energy efficiency measures in line with the provisions of the Legislative Decree. 102/2014. In particular, they must meet one of the following requirements:
- adoption of an energy management system in compliance with standard ISO 50.001
or
- performance of a valid energy audit, communicated to ENEA, drafted in accordance with the Legislative Decree. 102/2014
Amount of incentives
If companies meet these requirements, they can benefit from a reduction of part of the system charges of their gas bill. This relates specifically to the cost components RETIG and REIG, which refer to transport and distribution costs respectively.
The amount depends on the intensity of gas consumption, i.e. the incidence of the cost of gas supplies to sales (if this index is at least 2%) or to Gross Value Added (if this index is at least 20%).
Who to contact
Given the complexity of the issue, it may be a good idea to consult qualified professionals (such as EGEs or energy managers) who possess the specific skills needed to:
- assess gas consumption intensity indices;
- plan and, if necessary, take the measures required to access incentives (such as implementing ISO 50.001 management systems and/or carrying out energy audits);
- calculate the potential economic benefits;
- manage communication with the Cassa per i Servizi Energetici e Ambientali (CSEA) during the preliminary investigation phase.
Timeframe
High gas-consuming companies will be able to use the specific portal provided by CSEA up until 16 November 2023.
