Italy Energy Information

Total Energy Consumption

Italy's per capita energy consumption is nearly 20% lower than the EU average (2.3 toe in 2020). Electricity consumption per capita is around 5 000 kWh (4 750 kWh in 2020), i.e. 10% below the EU average.

Total energy consumption, which had been declining slightly between 2017 and 2019 (-1.9%/year), fell by 8% to 137 Mtoe in 2020. It declined rapidly between 2005 and 2014 (by 2.6%/year).

Graph: CONSUMPTION TRENDS BY ENERGY SOURCE (Mtoe)

Interactive Chart Italy Total Energy Consumption

Crude Oil Production

Domestic oil and NGL production increased by 28% in 2020 to 6.1 Mt: it covered around 10% of the country's needs.

Crude oil imports contracted by 20% to 53 Mt in 2020. Four suppliers accounted for around 60% of crude oil supply in 2020, namely Azerbaijan (20%), Iraq (17%), Saudi Arabia (13%), and Russia (11%).

Interactive Chart Italy Crude Oil Production

Oil Products Consumption

Oil consumption, which had decreased slightly (-1.2%/year) between 2015 and 2019, fell by 19% in 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis that deeply hit Italy and led to severe lockdown and transport restriction measures. It fell by 38% between 2000 and 2013, before declining at a slower pace.

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Interactive Chart Italy Refined Oil Products Production

Natural Gas Consumption

Natural gas consumption, which had been increasing between 2014 and 2019 (+3.7%/year) due to a rising consumption in the power sector, declined by 4.4% in 2020, mainly due to a contraction in industry. Gas consumption, which had surged by 5.2%/year between 1994 and 2005 to 86 bcm, declined until 2014 owing to a lower demand from the power sector and industry.

Graph: NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION (bcm)

Interactive Chart Italy Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

Coal Consumption

Coal consumption has more than halved since 2010 (-66%, including -30% in 2019 alone and -26% in 2020) to 7.4 Mt in 2020, because of the closure of coal fired power plants and the higher competition from gas and renewables (linked to higher European carbon prices in 2020). It rose rapidly between 1993 and 2004 to supply coal-fired power plants (above 4%/year).

Power generation accounts for nearly 70% of coal consumption (68% in 2020) and industry consumes most of the remainder (28%).

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Interactive Chart Italy Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

Power Consumption

Electricity consumption contracted by 5.3% in 2020 to 286 TWh, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (with a 17% record low in April 2020). It rose by 1.7%/year between 2000 and 2008 (319 TWh) and fell by 1.5%/year on average through 2014, before stabilising around 300 TWh until 2019.

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

Italy will meet its 2020 renewable targets (17%), as the share of renewables in final energy consumption in 2019 was already above 18% (35% for power, i.e. 9 points over the target) and 20% for heating and cooling (target of 17%). The NECP 2030 targets a share of 30% of renewables in final energy consumption, including 55% in electricity consumption and 33% in heat consumption. It plans 50 GW of solar PV in 2030 (+30 GW).

Interactive Chart Italy Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

CO₂ Fuel Combustion/CO₂ Emissions

GHG emissions have been decreasing since 2005; in 2019, they dipped by 3.8% to 389 MtCO₂eq and were 25% below their 1990 level.

The NECP 2030 aims at cutting GHG emissions for all ETS sectors by 43% and for all non-ETS sectors by 33% in 2030 (compared to 2005): this corresponds to an overall reduction of 40% compared to 1990 levels. Italy is considering raising the GHG emission cut target to 60% by 2030 compared to 1990.