The cold came, and with it came the time to turn on the heating. Marked by climate bands, the calendar reached zone D, which includes Rome, Florence, Genoa, Venice and other major Italian cities; This region reactivated the radiators that had already been open throughout Northern Italy and the Apennines since last November 1. Then it will be the turn of the hottest regions, but as of next December 1, the heating system will be able to be turned on in all houses in the country. It is an expense necessitated by the drop in temperatures in the winter season, but it is a decrease that does not concern gas tariffs, again due to the rapid increase in prices in recent months due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Last year, precisely in order to avoid a terrible blow for families, the government introduced new rules contained in the Cingolani decree (former minister of ecological transition): heating systems for one hour less per day, for a shorter period of time and at less than 300°C. It opened with warmth. one degree Thanks to the warmer than usual winter, this measure had a positive impact not only on Italians’ pockets, but also on the environment. The rule has not been approved by the current government and the Cingolani decree is no longer in force, but no one forbids you to follow the same rules to save money on your bill and, as a result, a decrease in emissions. A “recommendation” coming directly from Mauro Antonelli and Marco Vignola, director of the work center and head of the energy sector of the National Union of Consumers (UNC): “The only exception for now is the City of Milan. Mayor Giuseppe Sala also for the 2023/2024 season “A special regulation has been published to approve these rules, but we prefer that the choice be made voluntarily and responsibly by families, not because of a legal obligation. According to experts, even the coming winter season may be warm, it is possible to reduce the temperature by one degree and save 5-10% on the bill.” .
When the heaters are turned on
We are back to previous indicators without any extension of the rules in force last year. Italy is divided into bands A to F, as determined by the Presidential decree in 1993. The process is simple: the warmer a space is, the later the heating will come on. The calendar in effect for the 2023/2024 winter term is as follows:
- Region A: 1 December 2023 – 15 March 2024 / 6 hours a day,
- Region B: 1 December 2023 – 31 March 2024 / 8 hours a day,
- Region C: 15 November 2023 – 31 March 2024 / 10 hours per day,
- Region D: 1 November 2023 – 15 April 2024 / 12 hours a day,
- Region E: 15 October 2023 – 15 April 2024 / 14 hours,
- Zone F: no restrictions.
Differences with the Cingolani decree
According to the indications of the Cingolani edict last winter, the calendar and the hours were different. The temperature dropped one degree from 20°C (+/- 2°C tolerance) to 19°C (+/- 2°C) tolerance, and radiators in homes were turned on for an hour less. In addition, a rule was introduced that the commissioning of the systems would be postponed for 8 days and the completion of the service would be brought forward by one week.
Last year’s defunct calendar was as follows:
- Zone A: 8 December – 7 March / 5 hours a day,
- Region B: 8 December – 23 March / 7 hours,
- Zone C: 22 November – 23 March / 9 hours,
- Region D: 8 November – 7 April / 11 hours,
- Zone E: 22 October – 7 April/13 hours per day,
- Zone F: no restrictions.
Save money on your bill
A cut in consumption clearly translates into savings on the bill. So embracing the solution to save on gas and combat high prices doesn’t seem like such a crazy choice. On the contrary. To confirm this Today Mauro Antonelli, director of the UNC study center: “Ours is not a request to the government, but rather a recommendation to all families. According to data from Enea (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) lowering the temperature by one degree will reduce consumption by 5% “Provides savings ranging from 10”.
“But this is a figure affected by various factors – Antonelli underlines – A lot depends on the region of Italy you are in, the characteristics of the house, its energy class, whether it is insulated or not. Obviously. A house with better energy efficiency will produce lower consumption, but depending on the temperature and reducing the ignition time have different effects depending on the climate zone: in the coldest regions, for example Milan, the savings approach 5% and rise to 10% in the warmer ones.” Figures confirmed by Enea, which last year estimated savings of 2.7 billion cubic meters of methane gas and a reduction in household bills of around 180 euros per year (precisely 178 euros): “This winter could be even warmer than the previous one,” adds Antonelli, so Lowering the temperature by one degree or turning the radiators on for a few hours less can be a viable strategy to save money without compromising home comfort. It can be done voluntarily in private homes and apartments.”
End of protected market
The current government has not confirmed the indicators contained in the Cingolani decree, which can still be followed completely autonomously, but the real problem is something else, as the director of the UNC study center explained in 2011. Today: “We request the government to extend the protection for families so that it expires in January 2024. Beyond the increases that Arera will show for October, which should be around 8%, many families will have to protect themselves with the end of the protected market. Full changing the supplier in a moment of uncertainty and choosing between a fixed or variable price Arera manages to achieve greater stability in prices compared to the free market, this is due to the option of determining the price ex post rather than in advance Real prices of the Italian PSV wholesale market Each of the average price increases in the protected market It is no coincidence that time is lower, and that is what makes the difference. The protected market increases competition and offers a neutral protection service without aiming to make a profit. The end of the protected market will not only make customers who are already in the free market vulnerable, but also everyone who is not yet vulnerable, where prices are uncertain and volatile. “It will force him to make an important choice at a time when Reducing consumption during the winter period may help families’ pockets and the environment, but the government also needs to do its part after two years of high energy prices have caused huge economic damage to citizens and businesses.
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Source: Today IT
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
