Genova (Italy)

Comune di Genova signed up to the Covenant of Mayors on 10 February 2009 and has been developing an integrated Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) which is part of a 10-point master plan for sustainable growth for the city. The scope of the SEAP is very broad and includes increasing the energy efficiency of council buildings, rationalising the transport system and improving uptake of renewable energy sources. (Schumacher Institute, 2011).

The “Baseline Emission Inventory” (BEI)” quantifies energy flows and the amount of CO2 emitted due to energy consumption in the territory of Genova in the baseline year 2005, serving as the reference against which the reduction targets and the actual achievements of individual actions and related emission reductions in 2020 will be monitored and compared (Comune di Genova, 2010).

The final energy consumption sectors included:

  • municipal buildings, equipment/facilities
  • tertiary (non-municipal) buildings, equipment/facilities
  • residential buildings
  • municipal public lighting
  • municipal fleet
  • public transport
  • private and commercial transport

The energy consumption data of industries and of long-distance transports (railway, highways, sea and air transport) were excluded in accordance with Covenant of Mayors SEAP guidance (Covenant of Mayors, 2010a).

The energy consumption data allowed Genova to identify that:

  1. Energy consumption of the civil sector (buildings, equipment/facilities of the residential and tertiary) represents the by-far prevailing use of energy.
  2. Natural gas is the main fuel source being used in Genova city, and it is used primarily in the residential sector.
  3. Private transport is lower in Genova in comparison to the national average which is shown in the relatively high exploitation of public transports by inhabitants (approximately 43%).
  4. Electricity consumption is significant and growing in the tertiary sector, which is evidence of increasing use of summer air-conditioning.

The trends identified in the SEAP allowed Genova to develop responses and embed them in local policy, for example:

  • Adopting more stringent building regulations for new developments, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.
  • Eco-friendly bus fleet transition plan to phase in more efficient buses by 2014
  • Refurbish and upgrade several hydropower plant from local reservoirs with new generators totalling 1500 kW.

The target is to reduce emissions by 22.8% (2005 baseline) by 2020, around 113,000 tCO2.