In recent months, we have seen the cost of gas skyrocket and bills rise, with the result that companies have been forced to close due to high costs or to raise the price of goods and services. Even if families and citizens still do not see the increase, businesses do.

Just think of the closure of the glass processing furnaces in Murano due to the cost of methane. However, this condition could lead Italy to exploit the natural gas reserves present in the upper Adriatic with a gas price of 5 cents per cubic meter instead of the current 0.70 cents.

Unfortunately, Italy has decided to import methane gas, even if the alternative would be to extract hydrocarbons from the sea and use them to save on cooking and heating, as those who have worked in the sector for years like Settala Gas know well. The gas journey from Libya, Algeria and Qatar leads to gas leaks, to the use of 25% of methane for transport and to an increase of the greenhouse effect by 30%.

Currently the law holds 20 platforms for the extraction of gas from mate in Italy, but in Croatia the extraction continues and the environmental impact remains the same. The only consequence is that Italian families pay ten times the price of gas.

What are the gas increases in the last year?

According to the latest Istat data, the cost of gas for households increased by 31%, with + 41.8% for the regulated market and + 24.3% for the free market. The increases are set to increase in early 2022, when they will become double-digit.

In particular, a significant drain awaits us for 2022 and it is expected that every average Italian family will pay about 370 euros more than in 2021, especially if prices continue to increase as they did in October.

What are the real reasons for the increase in the cost of gas

The cost of gas and the amount of bills increase due to the shortage of reserves in some European states, but above all due to the tensions involving Europe and Russia. The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been blocked by Germany and is opposed by the United States, given that it is a strategic asset for Putin's Russia.

Gas makes it possible to produce 40% of the energy used in Italy for heating and electricity and half of our needs derive from Moscow. The dependence on gas is bound to worsen as coal is eliminated and the use of oil is reduced. In European countries, methane will be the basis for producing energy and it is no coincidence that the European Commission has included gas among the energy sources that can receive public subsidies, for compatibility with climate objectives.

For this reason, important investments are underway with the aim of reducing the use of polluting sources over time in favour of using hydrogen. A commitment to the environment that also Settala Gas shares by producing hydrocarbon gases with a high degree of purity since 1966. Settala Gas operates in the distillation and treatment of hydrocarbon gases and manages a specialized production plant capable of satisfying any quality requirement. Contact us to discover our products!