In 2016, enough natural heat from Tuscan underground geothermal sources was tapped to furnish the energy needs of the region’s entire population of 1,600,000 residents.
The 5,871 GWh (Gigawatt hours) produced last year represents a record: all the energy needed for heat and light of Tuscan families can, for the first time, be covered by an eco-sustainable point of supply. The statistic excludes businesses and farms, which would require an additional 72% increase in output.
The firms and families of five Tuscan towns — Pomarance, Castelnuovo val di Cecina, Montieri, Monterotondo Marittimo, Monterverdi Marittimo, Radicondoli and Santa Fiora — have all their energy demands covered by production from geothermal sources.
Tuscany is home to an extinct volcano and numerous hot springs.
A division of a national electric company, Enel Green Power, manages the oldest geothermic complex in the world comprising 34 power stations: 16 in the province of Pisa, nine in both the provinces of Siena and Grosseto.
To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.
