Italy Energy Dashboard

Grid Summary

Italian priorities in the energy field are strictly related to the main issues of securing energy supply, reducing GHG's and pollutant emissions and assuring competitiveness in the energy sector. Total primary energy supply will increase in the next years, but the policies adopted to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency will lead to a constant slow decrease of energy intensity. Anyway, Italy will remain dependent on fossil resources in the next future and, consequently, strongly dependent on external resources (almost 91% of natural gas and 93% of oil are expected to be imported in 2020). Renewable energy will continue to increase in time, above all in the electricity sector.The main tool to support renewables will remain the “Green certificate” market-based mechanism. In parallel, the feed-in tariff scheme for photovoltaic and the recent legislation on energy efficiency in the building sector will contribute to accelerate the increase of renewables in the energy mix…more information.

Despite strong growth in sectors such as onshore wind, biogas and biodiesel, Italy is far from the targets set at both the national and European level. Several factors contribute to this situation. Firstly, there is a large element of uncertainty due to recent political changes and ambiguities in current policy design. Secondly, there are administrative constraints such as complex authorisation procedures at local level. Thirdly, there are financial barriers such as high grid connection costs.In Italy, there is an obligation on electricity generators to produce a certain amount of RES-E. At present, the Italian government is working out the details of more ambitious support mechanisms for the development and use of RES. National legislation is being developed, both for RES-H and for biofuels. Subsidies are already in place for bioethanol production and tax exemptions for biodiesel production. As yet, no national policy framework exists that supports RES-H. In the meantime, certain regional and local governments have introduced some measures to promote RES. These have taken the form of incentives for solar thermal heating and compulsory installation of solar panels in new or renovated buildings...more information.