Electricity consumption fell in Italy in August, but the percentage covered by renewable energy sources grew, reaching 40%, two percentage points more than in the same period of 2019. This was revealed by the usual monthly Terna bulletin, the company that manages the national electricity grid. Electricity demand in Italy in August was 26,1 billion kWh, down by 1,4% compared to the same month of 2019. This value was obtained with the same number of working days (21) and an average temperature substantially in line with that of August last year. The seasonally adjusted figure corrected for calendar and temperature effects leads to a decrease of 1,2%.
Overall demand in the first eight months of 2020, mainly due to the lockdown period, fell by 7,7% compared to the corresponding period of 2019. In adjusted terms, the figure remains substantially unchanged (-7,5%). From January to August, renewable sources covered a total of 40% of electricity demand, compared to 36% in the corresponding period of 2019. And even in the single month of August the percentage was 40%, compared to 38% in the same month last year. The data for the first 8 months of the year are strongly affected by the collapse in consumption connected to the lockdown period during which the share of thermoelectric plants was greatly reduced and the share covered by renewables leapt forward.
In August 2020, again according to Terna, the demand for electricity was 94,1% satisfied with national production and for the remainder (5,9%) from the balance of energy exchanged with foreign countries. In detail, net national production (24,7 billion kWh) increased (+1,4%) compared to August 2019. Wind (+66%) and photovoltaic (+2,2%) sources of production increased %); geothermal (-2,9%) and hydroelectric (-3,9%) sources are down; stationary the thermoelectric one.
