Varese, a town in Northern Italy, runs on 100% renewable power. The town uses a mix of wind, solar and small-scale hydropower. The town has reaped benefits from the energy network through added jobs, and an additional 350,000 euros [US $514,000] in revenues that are handed over to the council each year. Varese has also seen a six-fold increase in tourists in the last ten years, many coming just to see its renewable energy network.
Varese became the first municipality in Europe to get 100% of its power from renewable energy sources six years ago. It now generates three times more electricity than the people living in Varese need and there are plans in the pipeline for even more renewables.
The town has also launched initiatives to make Varese 100% sustainable. A total of 108 organic farms now supply 98 percent of the town’s food; water is purified using environmentally friendly technology, and waste has been significantly reduced.
Four wind turbines located on a ridge 1100 meters above sea level — where the average annual wind speed is 7.2 meters per second — generate 8 million kWh of electricity a year that is fed into the local grid managed by Acam, a power company in La Spezia. Photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed on the town hall and the local school. The town hall has 102 PV panels covering 95 square meters and generating 12,700 kWh a year, which supplies 98 percent of the total energy consumption of the building. Varese’s secondary school has 39 PV panels covering 36 square meters and producing 4,600 kWh a year, which supplies 62 percent of the energy used.
In addition to the that, the town’s swimming pool is heated by solar power and a program to promote the use of wood pellet stoves is in the works.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Joe // Dec 31, 2007 at 3:36 pm
GEEZ!
This back-country town is light years ahead of the “modern” cities in the US.
I with their politicians were in charge of my city.
2 offgrid-living // Jan 13, 2008 at 3:20 pm
That’s great - now we need to try that here in Canada.
3 Cris // Jan 27, 2008 at 5:31 am
To avoid confusion the correct name of the city is Varese Ligure.
4 Jack // Mar 20, 2008 at 12:43 pm
The article is somehow forgetting to elaborate about the “small-scale” hydropower in Varese. It might very well be giving most of energy to the town, especially in windless nights. The claim that “Varese is first municipality in Europe to get 100% of its power from renewable energy six years ago ” must be a joke, considering that 98% of power in Norway is from renewable sources too, for much more than six years. So, Varese could easily be beaten by most Norwegian municipalities. Unless by “Europe”, they mean EU only, then many municipalities in Austria must suffice.
5 Uncle B // Mar 27, 2008 at 4:13 pm
In colder Canadian climates huge amounts of energy can be saved by developing and applying super-insulation and building underground or earth-bermed dwellings. Power storage remains a problem but wind, hydro and photo-voltaic generation is costly but very possible. Oil will have to get a little more pricey before these problems are really tackled, however.
6 Andrew // Aug 7, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Varese is an example for the rest of Europe. Instead of talking about climate change, so many European leaders should start acting and doing something serious about it. Joe, from the US says “This back-country town is light years ahead of the “modern” cities in the US”. He might not know that Europe in general is old and it is common to see old cities and towns in Europe. We all know the USA is modern.Towns like Varese, cities like Rome, Paris and London make Europe so special and that’s exactly why millions of tourists come to Italy, for example, every year to see its historic places. So, when “ignorant” Joe says Varese is light years ahead of “modern US”, well, I would say neither Varese nor any other town or city in Europe would even try to be similar to American cities because that would mean the end of the Special Old Europe.
7 Andrew // Aug 7, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Varese is an example for the rest of Europe. Instead of talking about climate change, so many European leaders should start acting and doing something serious about it. Joe, from the US says “This back-country town is light years ahead of the “modern” cities in the US”. He might not know that Europe in general is old and it is common to see old cities and towns in Europe. We all know the USA is modern.Towns like Varese, cities like Rome, Paris and London make Europe so special and that’s exactly why millions of tourists come to Italy, for example, every year to see its historic places. So, when “ignorant” Joe says Varese is light years ahead of “modern US”, well, I would say neither Varese nor any other town or city in Europe would even try to be similar to any American city because that would mean the end of the Special and unique Europe.
8 Carl // Aug 7, 2008 at 4:55 pm
What else could we expect from an American? Joe represents the real American. I am sure he doesn’t even know if Europe is a city or a continent.I live in the UK and I went to Varese, Italy, recently and I was amazed by its Renewable Power. I also visited other Italian cities and I saw with my own eyes how those cities followed the example of Varese. When we talk about renewable power an climate change, Italy in general is an example for the rest of Europe. The US is not an example over climate change, neither is China. So, those people from the US, for example, should be worried about their country’s future. Someday, they will realize how wrong they were over renewable power but I’m afraid it’ll be too late.
9 Zoë // Aug 20, 2008 at 7:43 am
Perhaps instead of insulting Joe people need to read that he said he wishes he had politicians like those in Varese!
There are examples of towns in the US taking action, and there are examples in the UK too (where I am) but there’s no way that we can describe the UK as leading the way in fighting climate change either.
Not knowing the geography of europe is irrelevant to this discussion.
Less talking, more action, both in the UK and the US is needed!
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