Innovation, ‘Intelligence Week’ kicks off: focus on energy and digital challenges

The Intelligence Week, the initiative organized by Vento & Associati and Dune Technologies to discuss the major challenges on the horizon in the political, economic and social fields, opened yesterday evening with the greeting of the President of the Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, arising from the three transitions (energy, digital and intelligence). The President of the Senate emphasized in particular the need to perfect the creation of synergies between different worlds: Italy has for some time been suffering from serious difficulties in deciphering the challenges of tomorrow and in defining strategies that take into account the needs of the various players who compete. to national prosperity. And this is the main merit of the I-Week, explained President Casellati, representing “a precious demonstration of comparison and study at the highest technical, professional and institutional levels on the relationship between scientific innovation and modern intelligence strategies”. The initiative has in fact managed to bring together around a table, for the moment digital, due to the new wave of Covid, exponents of the political world, business, university, media and operators of security and information, in intent to outline the transition scenarios underway and provide effective responses capable of safeguarding Italy’s international position, but also economic and social rights and stability. The goal is ambitious but more urgent than ever: to offer a ground for discussion and exchange of views that stimulates awareness of the enormous changes taking place and the consequent ability of the ruling class to team up for the protection of the national interest. two policy interventions followed: according to Ambassador Sergio Vento, President of the V&A, “in 2021 strategic tensions reached warning levels both in the relationship between the United States and China and in that between NATO and Russia. Intelligence will be called upon to identify breaking points and points of equilibrium in complex situations, also dictated by the concomitant energy and digital transitions, not without ambiguities due to the de-correlation between business aspects and security aspects: for example, the exchange between States Despite everything, the United States and China increased by 28%, while oil and gas prices almost doubled, perhaps to express skepticism about u a true global energy transition after the Glasgow COP “. The second address was by Paolo Quercia, professor of collective security systems at the University of Perugia: “The I-Week Special – highlighted Quercia – highlights the complexity of dealing with a large number of transitions in a period global health and economic crisis. Intelligence thus becomes a fundamental tool to avoid that the cost of transitions, a critical moment of transition and vulnerability for weak countries, is not paid for by states and societies less prepared to pass from a system of rigid certainties to the uncertain fluidity of the phases of change “. The first talk of the review then began: “Energy market between past, present and future” focused on defining what contribution to the transition can be made by the national energy industry, underlining both the economic and geopolitical aspects. Senator Adolfo Urso, president of Copasir, took the opportunity to present the report on energy security which follows five months of hearings by the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic. Urso argued that in the light of the increase in costs of this last year it is urgent to define a national energy security plan which, to be effective, must be followed by a similar integrated European effort and by a more general community of intentions on the part of Western democracies. The issues of safety must also be taken into account in order to achieve the ecological transition, which must not only take place in the medium-long term, but also avoid the risk of relapse into relationships of dependence towards the supplier countries of the technologies necessary for the use of renewables. On the need for an integrated energy and industrial policy, a precise future action by the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti was also hoped for. As indicated by Stefano Besseghini, President of Arera (the Regulatory Authority for Energy and the Environment), prices represent a serious obstacle for operators while the EU does not seem to have a sufficient influence on them. A framework in which Italy can and must focus on a strategic vision that allows for safe movement in international fora. That energy is an eminently political matter and how urgent the need for economic intelligence is in Italy, has been also confirmed by the Honorable Alberto Pagani (Pd, Defense Commission), recalling how it is one of the privileged scenarios in which competition between powers takes place. The complicated Middle Eastern or Central Asian scenarios were recalled. The geopolitical relevance of the matter was also at the center of the speech by Lapo Pistelli (EVP Eni), who argued that the energy transition underway is an insidious process that probably will have winners and losers, different speeds and times. To ensure that Italy is not among the last, a change of mentality is needed that leads to exploiting the possibilities offered by new technologies: “The solution – concluded Pistelli – is not to consume less but to consume better”. Taking up the title of this Intelligence Week, dedicated to the “challenge of the three transitions (energy, digital and intelligence), the Eni representative finally pointed out how high the costs of the digital transition are and in fact underestimated. In this context, the EU, which wants to act as a model, must take into account its limits, having in fact a very limited impact, both on a demographic level and in terms of global CO2 emissions. Pistelli concluded that “the political and economic battle of transition is being played out in Asia”, the continent which, due to demographic growth and economic development, will affect the equilibrium of the future more than the other players. The whirlwind Asian economic growth also risks causing a surge in the costs of gas and other resources, particularly as an effect of Chinese demand, with knock-on effects on the socio-economic resilience of Europe. Gianni Bardazzi (VP Maire Tecnimont) , confirmed that the conversion process of the energy system from traditional sources will be slow and, in this perspective, it is necessary to combine the reasons of environmental sustainability with those of productivity. At this stage it is therefore appropriate to combine renewables with hydrocarbons, without however discarding the nuclear hypothesis. Nicola Lanzetta (Head of Italy Enel Group), on the other hand, highlighted the economic advantages of the transition underway: “The energy transition is also a question economic “. According to Lanzetta, “the transition has already begun, 45% of energy comes from renewables, if it were not so, the budget for our country, as well as for consumers, would be much worse than it is now”. However, the development of renewables is hindered by bureaucracy and lack of consumer awareness. Hence the need to raise public awareness: “We need sensitivity – concluded the Enel exponent – on the fact that our daily life pollutes. We need to create culture, explain to consumers who often ignore the difference between fixed and variable prices. that renewable energy is good for the environment, but also for our pockets “. A possible solution to the fluctuations was indicated by Patrizia Rutigliano (EVP Snam) who identified Italy’s storage capacity as an essential asset of our country, which, together with the historical relationships with some supplier countries or to be stabilized with the large energy-consuming countries, allow it to become the European reference player in the sector. To do this, he concluded, a greater awareness of Italian society is also necessary, which must start from training in schools to reach decision-making spheres, called to develop a long-term strategic vision that can allow our nation to have a security strategy. shared energy and aimed at protecting the national interest. This work of raising awareness among public opinion and the new generations has in fact been recalled by many, “the transition must be explained, understood and understood and dialogue with local communities is fundamental “, agreed Loretana Cortis, of Saipem, true technological and engineering excellence of the Italian energy industry in the world. However, all the speakers agreed that renewables will for a long time still work alongside traditional sources, including hydrocarbons and coal. “The energy mix is ​​the path of transition where above all natural gas will coexist for a long time with renewables, recording a progressive growth of the latter. In this sense, Saipem is at the forefront of designing technological solutions to accompany customers towards net zero2 , stated Loretana Cortis in this regard. The work of the Intelligence Week continues with 10 talks until Thursday. To check the program and register, visit www.i-week.it.