Utility targets for increasing energy efficiency

The ministerial decrees no. 164 of 23 May 2000 and subsequent amendments, establish national targets for increasing energy efficiency in end-uses of energy up to 2012 for electricity and gas distributors. The update of 2007 (DM 21.12.2007) sets the following targets: - 2008: 1.2 Megatonne of oil equivalent (Mtoe)/y for the electricity sector and 1.0 Mtoe/y for the gas sector - 2009: 1.8 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 1.4 Mtoe/y for the gas sector - 2010: 2.4 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 1.9 Mtoe/y for the gas sector - 2011: 3.1 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 2.2 Mtoe/y for the gas sector - 2012: 3.5 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 2.5 Mtoe/y for the gas sector.
The last update (Ministerial Decree 28.12.2012) introduced targets for the follwing years:
2013: 3.03 Megatonne of oil equivalent (Mtoe)/y for the electricity sector and 2.48 Mtoe/y for the gas sector
2014: 3.71 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 3.04 Mtoe/y for the gas sector
2015: 4.26 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 3.49 Mtoe/y for the gas sector
2016: 5.23 Mtoe/y for the electricity sector and 4.28 Mtoe/y for the gas sector. 
Under the Italian legislation those companies that carry out energy efficiency improvement projects related to district heating, including use of renewable energy sources and technologies, can get the white certificates, tradable on a specific environmental exchange managed by GME. The Decree No. 28 of 2011 which transposes the Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of from renewable sources energy redefines the support schemes of energy efficiency, through the reorganization and strengthening of existing incentive systems. The decree, thus, confirms that the instrument of white certificate market as the main incentive scheme. The management of such a certification mechanism passes to the GSE.