Trieste – During the examination and voting of Bill 18 (“omnibus law”) being discussed today in the Regional Council, on 29 April there was a heated debate on the provisions regulating ground-mounted photovoltaic systems and agrivoltaics on land and floating for the production of renewable energy.
The element on which the contrast between the majority and the opposition was most highlighted was that of the identification of the areas characterized by presumable unsuitability for placing such plants (intended for the protection of the cultural heritage and landscape, the environment, the activities agricultural for quality and organic products).
Also under consideration is the extension of the surface affected by the system, the type and overall power of the latter.
The long-term goal to be pursued is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions equal to zero by 2045, but also land consumption equal to zero by 2050.
The proposal of the designated areas did not convince the opposition at all, who listed other territories that should be included among those to be excluded and accused the expression “presumable unsuitability” of being incomprehensible.
Part of the majority also hoped that unsuitability would become “certain” when it comes to agricultural and wetland areas.
Other members of the majority, however, spoke of the goodness of the law and the need for the Region to finally dare to stop the consumption of land to produce energy.
This is an aspect – said various majority councilors – which was believed to have united the Chamber transversally when, on the contrary, instrumental contrary positions were recorded: a thought rejected by the Opposition, who sent it back to the sender.
“With an omnibus bill, a good law cannot be created to stem the spread of plants on agricultural land – declared in this regard the regional councilor Serena Pellegrino (AVS), vice president of the Fourth Council Commission.
“In the absolute belief that renewable energy is a priority as much as the protection and maintenance of agricultural soil, a limited, non-renewable and indispensable resource for food production, I am also convinced – continued Pellegrino – that it is not politically and intellectually honest delude citizens that the botched legislative intervention, such as the one presented today in the Regional Council, will solve the problem of containing the exploitation and abuse of our countryside and precious natural environments and landscape, cultural and archaeological assets”.
“It is in fact clumsy to say the least to produce a regulation, with an amendment that has the form and structure of a real law, to hope to stop the proliferation of photovoltaic systems on the agricultural land of Friuli Venezia Giulia, without any discussion other than the one in the Chamber with limited minutes. The Council intended to take its time – these are the words of President Fedriga – by introducing this very important topic in the “multi-sectoral” bill 18.
“It was therefore impossible – the opposition councilor continued – to participate in the vote without having had the opportunity to understand significant details which, even considering the justified fear of an appeal by the Government against the new rule, no one deigned to explain to us neither function nor effectiveness. Obviously presumable, just as the indications of areas not suitable for being covered by photovoltaic systems are clearly presumable.”
Thus concluded the councilor of the Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra: “President Fedriga should, in his apical role in the Conference of Regions and autonomous provinces, be decisive towards the Government which, regrettably, has still not issued the decrees that it is responsible for, with which to establish the absolute prohibitions and the criteria for configuring the areas unsuitable for settlement, or rather, the speculation of photovoltaic settlements in agricultural areas”.
