Southern Italy confronts renewable energy boost and water‑loss crisis

A conference in Palermo organised by the association I Sud del Mondo gathered institutions, experts and energy firms to examine the renewable‑energy potential of Italy’s south. Speakers highlighted that the South now produces a large share of the country’s photovoltaic and wind power while the national renewable‑energy share stalls at 19.3 % against the EU average of 25.2 %. They called for greater investment in local infrastructure, faster bureaucratic procedures and transmission networks so that southern production can be consumed locally rather than exported northward.

In Reggio Calabria, the neighbourhood committee of Ravagnese, S. Elia and Saracinello urged a public dialogue on persistent water‑losses in the municipal supply network. Committee president Raffaele Ferraro warned that “le continue perdite idriche … rappresentano ormai una criticità che non può essere osservata esclusivamente come una successione di singoli episodi”. The group seeks a meeting with Sorical, the city, the regional water authority and experts to discuss long‑term strategies, including the installation of spheroidal cast‑iron pipes and broader renovation of the aging infrastructure.