White certificates and energy efficiency titles

White certificates, also known as “Energy Efficiency Titles” (EET), are negotiable titles that certify the achievement of energy savings in the final usage of energy, through interventions and projects to increase energy efficiency.   

The system of white certificates has been introduced in the Italian legislation with the ministerial decree of the 20th July 2004 and s.m.i. and it forsees that electric energy and natural gas distributors annually meet certain quantitative primary energy savings targets, expressed in Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (TOE) saved. 

The companies distributing electricity and gas can fulfill their obligation by carrying out energy efficiency projects that give entitlement to white certificates or by purchasing the EET from other players on the market of Energy Efficiency Bonds organized by the GME.

The unities of high efficiency cogeneration may access the system of white certificates in accordance with the conditions and procedures established by the Ministerial Decree of the 5th September 2011.

The EET are released for 7 or 10 years (according to the type of the project) and they represent an incentive to the energy savings intervention that is added to the real savings, increasing the investment pay-back. 

The national regulatory framework in this area was recently modified with the publication of the DM 11 January 2017, which defines national quantitative targets for energy savings – increasing over time – for electricity and gas distribution companies for the years 2017 to 2020 and establishes new ways of presenting projects.

ALENS is able to provide the assistance necessary for the implementation of energy saving interventions and the achievement of Energy Efficiency Titles (EET).