in the Governance of Green Energy Co-Provision: the Case of Basilicata Region

Public Purposes and Private Interests in the Governanceof Green Energy Co-Provision: the Case of Basilicata Region.

Ivano SCOTTI (PhD) University of Naples 'Federico II'

e-mail: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE

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Public Purposes and Private Interests...

This research has tried to examine the effects of the current policies to promote a sustainable socio-technical energy regime in Italy.

To carry out our study, we have used the theoretical framework of Habermas.

Basilicata Region (South of Italy) has been our case of study because of its peculiarities about policies of renewable resources and efficiency energy.


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1. Theoretical Framework:A Short Explanation...


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Habermas on Energy Issues:Public Sphere, Norms, & Socio-Technical Energy Regime


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PUBLICSPHERE

Constitutive elements:

● Civil liberties;● Free, plural, and independent media systems;● Access to public information;● All sites for everyday talk about public affairs.

PRIVATESPHERE

- Citizens;- Social Movements;- Corporations;- Experiences;- Values;- Practices;- Technology;- etc.

STATE /POLITICAL

INSTITUTION

- Norms;- Legitimacy;- Restraint system actions;- Economic redistribution;- etc;

Materialrelation

–

NATURE

–

Symbolic interpretation

Habermas on Energy Issues:Public Sphere, Norms, & Socio-Technical Energy Regime


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In democracy some actors try to transform legal setting engaging several agents - humans and non-humans - to support their value and interests in the public sphere because legitimate norms (ethic) are the frame where their action can take place. This is an advocacy action.

Rules shape the actions of energy companies, the presence of some kind of energy technologies and the style of consumption (instrumental action).

Legitimate norms, born in the Public Sphere, have a moral-ethical foundation.


NAPLES 2012Habermas on Energy Issues:

Public Sphere, Norms, & Socio-Technical Energy Regime

A socio-technical regime (STR) is a temporary stable connection of human & non-human elements. It is 'new collective' (White, 1999).It is a legitimate solution that meets problems of material reproduction in a specific social context.

Any change which involves STR needs a legitimatized social process in the public sphere.

This social process is not necessarily fair or adequately open.

2. Green Policies and Its Results:Same Data About Italy


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The main public purposes (European, Italian, etc.) about a sustainable energy regime are:

- to promote green power generation and efficiency energy use giving direct and indirect profitable economic incentives (feed-in tariff, Withe Certificate, and so on).

- to promote micro and widespread power generation with easier legal authorization procedures for mini-plants (≤ 1 MWp).


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The results are:

- Green energy is increased. In Italy the share of renewables in electricity production

has increased from 18.7% in 2005 to 28.7% in 2011. [Source: Enerdata]

- Green energy is spread. For example, in 2011, 95% of the Italian cities have had

at least one Photovoltaic (PV) facility. [Source: GSE]


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Renewable technologies could permit a revolutionary system of supply and energy exchange. Some scholars defined it as 'co-provision model' (Watson 2004).

Co-provision can be divided in:

1. Plug & Play (P&P) – Consumers control co-provision;2. Company Control (CC) – Companies control co-provision;3. Community Micro-Grid (CMG) – Communities control co-provision.


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Some data suggests that CC co-provision model is the rising socio-technical energy regime in Italy, because in 2011, for example:

- 49.4% of the PV kWs are not building-integrated;

- only 9% of PV panels are installed on private houses;

- 87.9% of the kW of PV installed are owned by corporations;

- 25% of the kW of PV installed exceed 1,000 kW class.

In the case of CC co-provision model positive benefits for local communities appear contained.


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In short, it seems that:

- Political Institutions (public purposes) are trying to promote a more sustainable energy system and particularly the P&P co-provision model.

- Companies (private interests) are using new legal framework to reach their goal in the market (material reproduction) and about business of companies, other private actors (such as landowners) have interest to support CC co-provision model.


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Is it possible a more balanced mix of co-provision models? How is possible to drive social actors to a more sustainable socio-technical energy regime?

Our cases study suggest us some possibilities.

3. The Basilicata Region & Green Energy:Cases of Territorial Energy Governance


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In the Southern Italy CC co-provision model is more widespread than the Italian average.

The Basilicata Region seems an emblematic case about the green energy in the South of Italy.

Despite the Basilicata Energy Plan (called PIEAR) stressed the role of distributed green power generation, the efficient use of energy, and the importance to promote companies and employment related to the green industrial sectors, these purposes are not sufficiently reached yet.


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2000 2005 20110%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Chart 1 - Consumption of Electricity in Basilicata as 100% Divided for Renewable,

Non-Renewable Energy and Import of Electricity. Years 2000, 2005, 2011.

Import

Non-renewable

Renewable

Source: Terna data.


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CC co-provision model in Basilicata: some date

- PV not integrated: Basilicata 68.5% VS Italy 49.4%

- PV plants ≤ 3 kWp: Basilicata 26% VS Italy 33%

- Companies related to green sector: 63% are 'professional service firms' and 'installation companies' which work for extra-regional energy companies


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Some little towns in Basilicata seem engaged to promote a more profitable and fair presence of green technologies through a territorial governance with an 'advocacy action' and 'mediation activity'.

We have chosen five relevant communities for our study (Avigliano, Brienza, Sasso, Satriano and Tito).

All these cases have in common some actions and aspects that we can present easily in a bullet point.


NAPLES 2012The Municipal Governance:

the Territories Confront the Energy

1. Municipalities promote general interests against private interests.

2. Town Governments are broadly sensitive and open to local public opinion (and its values). They are the site where take place the local public debate about energy.

3. The Municipal Governments play the role of 'mediator trustee' to facilitate the integration of I) big green energy facilities and II) implementation of mini-green solution in the local context.

4. Local Government play an 'advocacy action' to Regional Govern according to local values about a different interpretation of development, presence of green plants, and so on.

Conclusion: what does our research suggest?

A) Community-base institutionalized discussion organized in small government institution (such as neighborhood council) can promote awareness on energy issues and environmental problems. Public debate permits limited social conflicts or reduced social barriers about green technologies solutions.

B) Institutions close to the citizens play the important rule of 'mediator trustee' and they can promote the transformation of common style of energy consumption and related aspects, a very important element to reach a sustainable energy regime.


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Thank you

Ivano SCOTTI (PhD) University of Naples 'Federico II'

e-mail: [email protected]


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mailto:[email protected]