Energy, Markets and Transition: Bocconi Inaugurates the Enel Foundation Chair in Competitiveness and Transition

What does it mean to build energy markets capable of supporting the ecological transition without undermining competitiveness? This was the question at the heart of the inaugural lecture that, on Monday, November 24, marked the launch of the Enel Foundation Chair in Competitiveness and Transition, held by Francesco Decarolis, Full Professor of Economics.

In his address, titled “Beyond Prices: Aligning Energy Markets with the Goals of the Transition,” Decarolis reflected on how market mechanisms can be rethought to guide the transformation of the European energy system, linking individual incentives with collective goals.

The energy transition is not just a technological or environmental issue, but one of market design: it’s about understanding how rules and incentives can promote innovation, efficiency, and sustainability at the same time.  _{-Francesco Decarolis, Enel Foundation Chair in Competitiveness and Transition}

The lecture marked the official start of the Chair, established through a partnership between Enel Foundation and Bocconi University, with the goal of analyzing and interpreting the dynamics of competitiveness and the energy transition on a global scale, exploring the interplay between public regulation and private business strategies.

The establishment of this Chair confirms Bocconi’s commitment to promoting frontier research on crucial issues for the future of Italy and Europe. Competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation are the three dimensions guiding our academic and institutional choices today. _{-Francesco Billari, Rector, Bocconi University}

The event program included, in addition to the keynote speech by Katheline Schubert (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) on “The Macroeconomic Implications of the New Energy Order,” a discussion with Laura Cozzi, Director of the Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks Division at the International Energy Agency and Chair of Enel Foundation’s Scientific Committee, moderated by Miriam Allena, Director of Bocconi’s Master in Transformative Sustainability. The closing remarks were delivered by Andrea Sironi, President of Bocconi University.

With the Enel Foundation Chair in Competitiveness and Transition, Enel Foundation and Bocconi take a significant step toward strengthening their role as a key reference point in the international debate on the rules and economic models of the energy transition. In the coming years, the Chair will develop research and dissemination activities on topics such as electricity market design, investment in clean technologies, and competition in regulated sectors—contributing to shaping a new balance between competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation.