Energy

Aeolic production in Italy

In 2010 Italy was at 6th place of biggest aeolian energy producers' ranking, with an installed capacity of 5,797 MW. A placement that deserves respect, if we think at country's smallness if compared to "giants" like USA, China or India. Moreover, conditions for aeolian production in Italy aren't the most favourable, given the peculiar shape of the country with this long and stretched territory, presence of high mountains such as the Alps which offer a barrier to winds; however there are many ideal places locally, especially on the Adriatic side of the Apennines and on the islands, and there are big potentials for offshore plants.
In Italy many associations care about management, research and diffusion of aeolic energy, as the "Associazione Nazionale Energia del Vento", ANEV (National Association Energy of the Wind, NAEW), which has subscribed agreements with Greenpeace and Legambiente for a sustainable and environmentally respectful development, or the "Associazione Produttori Energia da Fonti Rinnovabili", APER (Association of Producers of Energy from Renewable Sources, APERS) and an important cooperation is on stage with the "Gestore Servizi Elettrici", GSE (Electric Services Manager, ESM), to integrate aeolic-generated electricity with the national grid.
The aeolian energy production actually started in 1994, just with pilot plants or experimental ones, in the national energy balance. From this year, it persevered to give significant increases. In 1994, the aeolian energy (with a production of 6 GWh) represented the 0,02 % of the total renewable source energy amount, while in 2001, with a production of 1.179 GWh, this amount increased to the 2,14% and, in 2006, to the 5,6%, producing 2.971 GWh.
In 2007 we saw the real "quality leap": the aeolian energy produced, 4.034 GWh, representing the 8% of our renewable sources energy, and the 1,2% of the national electric balance, based on the produced and imported energy. The growth of wind power has continued in the years 2008 and 2009 and in 2010 reached 9,126 GWh per share. In the end of 2010, Italy owns 487 installed aeolian plants. Anyway, because of the morphological features of our land and the consequent wind rate, their distribution is not uniform for every region. The highest concentration of aeolian plants is in Puglia (134 farms), followed by Campania (76), Sicily (62), Sardinia and Calabria (31), Basilicata (28), Abruzzo (25), Molise (23), Toscana (17), Liguria and Emilia Romagna (15), Veneto and Trentino (5) Marche (3) Umbria, Valle d’Aosta and Lombardia (1), while Friuli Venezia Giulia has no aeolian plants.  About the efficient gross power, in 2010 it was of 5,814 MW, so distributed: Sicily (1,436 MW, the 24.7% of the national aeolian power), Puglia (1,288 MW, equal to the 22.1% of the national aeolian power), Campania (803 MW, the 13.8%), Calabria (672 MW, the 11.5%), Sardinia (639 MW, the 11 %), Molise (367 MW, the 6.3 %), Basilicata (280 MW, the 4.8%), Abruzzo (218 MW, the 3.8 %), Toscana (45 MW, the 0.8 %), Liguria (19 MW, the 0.3 %), Emilia Romagna (18 MW, the 0.3%), Piemonte (15 MW, the 0.2%), Lazio (9 MW, the 0.2%), Trentino (3 MW, the 0.1%), Umbria (2 MW, the 0.1%) e Veneto (1 MW, the 0.1%). In 2010, the produced energy was equal to 9.126 GWh, coming from: Sicily (2.203 GWh, equals to 24.1% of the total amount), Puglia (2.103 GWh, equals to 23% of the total amount), Campania (1.333 GWh, the 14.6 %), Sardegna (1036 GWh, the 11.4 %), Calabria (952 GWh, the 10.4%), Molise (532 GWh, the 5.8 %), Basilicata (458 GWh, the 5 %), Abruzzo (329 GWh, the 3.6%), Toscana (76 GWh, the 0.8 %), Liguria (35 GWh, the 0.4%), Emilia Romagna (25 GWh, the 0.3%), Piemonte (21 GWh, the 0.2%), Lazio (15 GWh, the 0.2%), Umbria (2,3 GWh, the 0.1%), Trentino (2,2 GWh, the 0.1%), e Veneto (1,7 Gwh, the 0.1%). Therefore, we can easily see how the regions of Southern and Central Italy are the most productive ones, thanks to the propitious wind conditions along the Apennine Crest and on the islands' relieves, while the Alps negatively influence the wind exploitation in the regions placed under this mountain chain.
(Source: Rapporto statistico 2010, Impianti a fonti rinnovabili - GSE 2011)