Do Fiscal Incentives Boost Energy Transition and Energy Efficiency? The Case of Italian Bonuses (and Superbonuses)

This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding the efficacy of fiscal incentives in enhancing efficiency and boosting the energy transition. Using a PVAR model in Italian regions, the study examines the concurrent impact of fiscal incentives, energy consumption, and energy transition. The evidences revealed by the econometric method are in depth analysed through a non-hierarchical fuzzy clustering method. Results confirm the effectiveness of the incentives to improve energy efficiency. They are useful for government focused to foster a low-carbon-oriented and grid-friendly adoption in the energy transition context but are attractive mainly for high-income households already determined to perform more energy-saving renovations to meet their high housing costs.