Barrel participated in the 2025 Galileo Festival of Innovation, one of Italy’s leading events fostering dialogue between science, technology, business, and civil society. Held annually in Padua, the festival is an open platform to explore global transformations and discuss the most effective solutions to address them. A highlight of this year’s edition was the presentation of “’O sole mio: Why the Skeptics Won’t Stop the Era of Renewables” by Stefano Fracasso—an occasion to reflect on the urgency and opportunities of a fast and fair energy transition.
The Book: A Manifesto for Acceleration
“’O sole mio” is a compelling, thoroughly documented, and passionate work. Stefano Fracasso goes beyond technical analysis to explore the cultural and social obstacles hindering decarbonization. The book is aimed at those who believe that a rapid transition away from fossil fuels is not only feasible but necessary.
With a tone that is optimistic yet grounded in evidence, Fracasso addresses the most common objections—costs, technological dependencies, job impacts, and environmental concerns—demonstrating that the main barriers to progress are not technical, but political and cultural.
Barrel: Delivering Clean Energy Where It’s Needed Most
Against this backdrop, Barrel’s field experience offered a tangible example of how the transition is already happening. By deploying modular, off-grid solar systems in underserved regions, Barrel brings clean, reliable, and scalable energy solutions to communities currently without access to electricity. These efforts prove that the energy transition is not a luxury for industrialized nations but a global necessity—and one that is achievable.
Barrel’s mission is to democratize energy, putting technological innovation at the service of social equity and community empowerment. The company’s work directly embodies the vision outlined in Fracasso’s book: a transition that is not only urgent, but also economically and geopolitically beneficial.
A Change Already Underway
The energy transition is not a distant goal—it is unfolding now. As both the book and Barrel’s projects demonstrate, renewable technologies are already outpacing fossil fuels in terms of cost, efficiency, and scalability. The most significant resistance stems not from infrastructure or cost, but from social inertia and political hesitation.
Barrel stands as a concrete example of how companies can lead this transformation by promoting a new energy model—decentralized, inclusive, and sustainable. A model that meets the needs of rural communities in Africa just as effectively as it supports the climate goals of cities in Europe and beyond.
The Sun as a Shared Resource
The message echoed throughout the Galileo Festival and in the pages of “’O sole mio” is clear: the energy transition presents both a critical challenge and a tremendous opportunity. It is a chance to reimagine our energy systems, build a new green economy, and ensure a livable planet for future generations.
Barrel is committed to advancing this vision—guided by the sun and driven by purpose. Because, as the book’s title suggests, the skeptics will not stop the era of renewables.