Funding for energy for the biennium 2009-2010

 

Under the anti-crisis plan, the European Commission presented a proposal for investment in the energy sector for the period 2009-2010. The total amount is 3.5 billion euros, which will finance various projects, specifically: 1250 million will be for CO2 capture and storage (CCS), 500 million for offshore aeolic energy and 1750 million for electricity and gas interconnection projects. 
Among the projects, chosen by the Commission, the Nabucco pipeline, which goes from the Caspian sea to Austria, and the Itgi pipeline, which arrives to Azerbaijan through Turkey and Greece, and the electricity network "Mediterranean New 380 Kv Ac", submarine cable between Sicily and the Continent, for which the Commission plans to allocate 100 million euros. The set of proposals, however, was criticized by several countries, including Italy, since it finances projects mainly in Eastern and Northern Europe, and because is too gas-oriented. It is possible, therefore, that the committee's proposal will undergo changes during the debate in Council and European Parliament; the final decision is expected in March.