Assessment of the impact of local energy policies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

The present work investigates the potential energy savings coming from a careful and detailed local energy policy. The paper analyzes and assesses from technical, economic and environmental viewpoints different initiatives in the energy sector aimed at increasing energy efficiency in end-uses and reducing overall carbon emissions. The results are based on energy planning for five Italian urban areas sized at about fifty thousand inhabitants. The analysis has been developed with the aim of reaching generally applicable criteria suitable for evaluating the local energy policy contribution to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. Several initiatives for the private and public sectors have been considered, such as: (i) the introduction of combined heat and power generation based on useful thermal demand, suitable for the industry and service sectors (swimming pools, large distribution organizations); (ii) generation of electricity from renewables (solar energy, biomass); (iii) thermal insulation of private and public buildings, such as schools; (iv) introduction of micro-combined heat and power generation in the residential sector. For each solution the primary energy reduction and the consequent reduction in GHG emissions have been evaluated and a feasibility analysis has been developed in order to assess the profitability of the investment. Great attention has been paid to the public sector, which has an important role in providing leadership and driving changes in other sectors; furthermore, a rational use of energy combined with the exploitation of country-based incentives is able to reduce the public administrative expenditure. The results show that local energy policy can give an important contribution to gas emission reduction targets, and underline the fundamental role of public sector initiatives.