The Mediterranean region has the most important potential for developing renewable energy and the Southern part of Italy can represent a Mediterranean hub for the sustainable and green growth of all the Mediterranean Countries. This is the message launched at the 14^th edition of the inaugural conference of EnergyMed, , held on 30-31st March and 1st April 2023 by Pierpaolo Baretta, of the Municipality of Naples and Barbara Acreman, an official of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport – Housing policies.   

EnergyMed 2023, organized by Agenzia Napoletana per l’Energia e per l’Ambiente (A.N.E.A), consisted of an exhibition, that exceeded 8.000 square meters, with a vast congress program and numerous special events. Three days of technologies and innovation, during which public procurers, experts in the energy sector and circular economy and representatives of many companies participated in thematic workshops, business-to-business meetings and round tables.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was in the presence of the Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi and the vice-president of the Campania Region, Fulvio Bonabitacola.

About 10 meetings a day to speak about green transition, calls for grants, new processes to save energy and ensure the sustainability of public and private works.

One of the main issues was how to use the funds of the Next GenerationEU to have carbon-neutral buildings and enhance green mobility.

The energy sector plays a relevant role in the transition towards sustainable development, as it is responsible for 74% of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Mediterranean region. Although Mediterranean countries contribute moderately to GHG emissions, the region is a climate change hotspot, as highlighted by several IPCC reports. The picture in the South Mediterranean region is of strong growth and current levels of emissions equal those on the northern shore. A drastic move towards carbon neutrality patterns is urgently needed. Overall, GHG emissions from the energy sector have grown by 29% since 1990 to reach 2 billion tons in 2019, and maybe they are projected to rise.

This is the reason why many needs of Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) in the Mediterranean region were raised during PPI4MED regarding this sector and also why EnergyMed was the occasion to present other projects with partners from Northern and Southern Mediterranean Countries. It is a fact that at this fair two other EU co-funded projects were illustrated through their partners and/or flyers: the Solaqa project, funded by Horizon 2020 and SEACAP4SDG, funded by ENICBC MED programme.

The debate on circular economy and energy transition revealed common issues and common priorities among all the participants.

The meeting with some of the enterprises represented at the fair was very useful to understand their capacities and their willingness to invest in innovation and consider cooperation with public research centers to match the raising public demand in the sector concerned.