Explaining the new policy, officials said the aim was for green energy sources to account for 28 per cent of overall energy consumption by 2030 from 17.5 per cent in 2015.
In an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint, the nation will turn its focus towards renewable energy, aiming for renewable sources to account for 21 per cent of energy consumption in the transport sector, from 6.4 per cent in 2015.
Industry minister Carlo Calenda, who presented the government’s framework document, said one idea being considered was to use power bills to help fund electric car incentives.
Mr Calenda also called for local authorities across the country to cooperate in realising the plan.
“We can’t afford to start working on an accelerated process and then have regional governments and town councils block all infrastructure in Italy,” he warned.
The minister said the early retirement of around 8,000 megawatts of coal power capacity would cost some 3.8 to 4.0 billion euros, while the overall energy plan could generate investments of 175 billion euros to 2030.
Besides exiting coal, Italy also aims to cut its use of petrol products by 13 million tonnes of oil equivalent by 2030 and boost energy efficiency by 30 per cent.
The government said gas would continue to play an integral role in the country’s energy future, adding that it would promote new gas import pipelines to diversify supply, including the TAP pipeline to Azerbaijan and the EastMed pipeline that will import gas from the Mediterranean.
Italy, which imported 76 per cent of its overall energy needs in 2015, aims to cut that number to 64 per cent by 2030.
With ANSA
