In the first nine months of the year thewind and solar – non-programmable renewable energy sources – they covered 14% of the national electricity demand; this is an all-time high, especially considering the 2% drop in primary energy consumption and 3% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the same period of 2015. Meanwhile, the share of electricity produced from all green sources is confirmed at around 41%.
The most relevant data that emerges from the quarterly analysis of the Italian energy system, edited by ENEA, is that the decrease in consumption and emissions is accompanied by an increase, albeit slight, in GDP.
"It is a'trend reversal – explains Francesco Gracceva, of the ENEA Studies and Strategies Unit, head of the research group that takes care of the analysis – because up to now theItaly was the only country, among the major EU economies, where a significant contribution to reducing emissions has come from the crisis”.
The Analysis highlights other important innovations. Among these, the most important is the improvement of the ISPRED index (Energy Security, Energy Price and Decarbonisation Index), which reached its highest level in the last five years. This figure is the result, explains Gracceva, of “two opposing trends: on the one hand the reduction of CO2 emissions and the consequent decarbonisation of the system, on the other the worsening of the price indicator".
Sul on the gas front, on the other hand, the Italian position worsens. Average prices for industrial consumers show a reduction rate of 9,5% against a 17% drop in the average of the main EU countries.
with regard to electricity prices for industries, in the last two quarters of 2016 these are increased by 3% compared to the first half, marking a further widening of the gap between Italy and the rest of Europe. Diesel prices are also rising, now close to the maximum in the Union.
Finally, the Analysis shows one recovery of crude oil imports, with Middle Eastern imports growing strongly (+38%), especially from Iraq and Iran. It is confirmed growth in demand for natural gas (+1,9%), with an increase in imports from Algeria and a decrease in those from Russia and Northern Europe, which is in contrast with the rest of the European countries.
