Also in August, Italians consumed less electricity compared to the same period in 2022, but the adjusted data highlights a small reversal of trend. According to data from Terna, the company that manages the national electricity transmission network, last month electricity demand in our country it was equal to a total of 25,7 billion kWh, with a decrease of 1,1% compared to August 2022 but +1% compared to July. This value was achieved with the same number of working days (22) and a slightly lower average monthly temperature compared to August 2022 (-0,6°). Adjusting the data for these effects, the change changes sign, recording a +0,7% compared to August 2022.
The industrial sector is stable
THEIMCEI index elaborated by Terna, which examines the industrial consumption of approximately 1.000 "energy-intensive" companies, is overall unchanged compared to the same month last year. The positive changes in the transport, food and steel sectors offset the decline recorded in the non-ferrous metals, chemicals, paper and mechanical sectors. Those made of cement, lime and gypsum, as well as ceramics and glass, were stable.
In economic terms, the value of electricity demand, seasonally adjusted and corrected by the temperature effect, is growing (+1%) compared to July 2023. Basically stable the cyclical change in the IMCEI index (+0,2%).
Looking at the first 8 months of 2023, the cumulative demand for electricity in Italy is decreasing by 4,5% compared to the same period of 2022 (-3,4% the adjusted figure). There was also a negative change in the IMCEI Index, which recorded a -5,3% from January to August.
At a territorial level, the trend change in August 2023 was negative everywhere: -1,4% per month North part, -1,1% al Centro and -0,6% al South e Islands.
Italian electricity demand: the importance of renewables is growing
Analyzing the performance of the month of August, Terna highlights that 87,1% of Italy's energy needs were satisfied with the national production and, for the remaining portion (12,9%), by the balance of energy exchanged with foreign countries. Net national production amounted to 22,6 billion kWh, down 3,5% compared to August 2022. Last month the renewables they produced a total of 11,3 billion kWh, covering 43,8% of electricity demand (compared to 34,1% in August 2022). And it is divided as follows: 34,7% water, 33,3% PV, 15,5% Aeolian, 12,6% biomass, 3,9% geothermal.
As regards the import-export balance, the change is equal to +19% due to a combined effect of the decrease in exports (-8,9%) and the increase in imports (+15,8%).
The installed capacity of renewables is growing
According to Terna's findings illustrated in the monthly report, considering all renewable sources, in the first eight months of 2023 thecapacity increase in Italy is equal to 3.470 MW, an increase of approximately 1.733 MW (+100%) compared to the same period of 2022. Looking at the last year (September 2022 - August 2023) the increase in capacity is equal to 4.770 MW.
Strong contraction in production from thermal sources
They continue to recover production from water source (+49,8%) and the growth of PV (+19,8%). Production from also increased wind source (+43,8%). Production from sources is decreasing thermal (-20,5% with a change of -57,2% in coal production) and the geothermal (-3,7%). Extending the analysis to the first eight months of 2023, Terna underlines, we can observe how the combined effect of the decrease in demand, the increase in imports and the growth of renewable sources has led to a significant contraction in production from thermal sources ( -16,6%) with a consequent reduction in gas consumption for thermoelectric production estimated at approximately 3,3 billion standard cubic meters compared to the same period in 2022.
