Italy is accelerating its shift from imported fossil fuels by turning waste into energy and usable fuels. Maire Tecnimont, a leading energy group, is advancing a program to draw gas from recycled waste streams, a move aimed at diminishing reliance on Russian energy while boosting domestic supply chains. A statement from Alessandro Bernini, the managing director of the group, underscored the strategic potential of this approach as a cornerstone of Italy’s broader energy transition.
The company is deploying technology that separates carbon and hydrogen from landfill residues to manufacture greener chemicals and fuels. In Italy, about 16 million tons of non recyclable waste are deposited in landfills each year, presenting an opportunity to convert this challenge into a source of energy and materials that align with environmental goals and energy security needs.
Bernini highlighted a scalable plan to reuse waste as a feedstock for synthetic gas production. The proposal envisions ten processing facilities with the capacity to handle roughly 600,000 tons annually. If realized, these plants could supply around 10 percent of the country’s domestic heating and electricity requirements within five years, significantly reshaping Italy’s energy mix and resilience against external supply shocks.
The shift occurred amid a concerted national effort sparked after February 24 to cut dependence on fossil fuel imports from Russia. Rome intensified its approach by diversifying energy partners and signing supply agreements with nations including Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, the Republic of the Congo, and several others, in pursuit of steadier and more secure energy sources.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi, addressing the country at the end of June, noted a meaningful reduction in Russian gas imports, moving from 40 percent to 25 percent of total gas purchases. The transition reflects a concerted political and industrial push to strengthen energy autonomy while expanding the role of domestically generated energy and advanced recovery technologies across Italy’s economy.