Source: Terna
In 2024, Italy's electricity consumption rose by 2.2% to 312.3 billion kWh, with peak demand reaching 57.5 GW on July 18. Renewable energy sources covered a record 41.2% of demand, up from 37.1% in 2023, primarily driven by hydroelectric and photovoltaic generation.
The increase in demand was most noticeable in July and August, which saw higher-than-average temperatures. Regionally, electricity consumption grew across the country: +2.2% in the North, +2.3% in the Center, and +2.1% in the South and Islands.
Renewable generation grew by 13.4%, with hydro (+30.4%) and photovoltaic (+19.3%) achieving strong gains, while wind (-5.6%) and geothermal (-0.8%) saw declines. Thermal generation dropped by 6.2%, largely due to a 71% reduction in coal use, cutting CO2 emissions by over 8 million tons.
Italy’s domestic electricity production increased by 2.7%, meeting 83.7% of the demand, while 16.3% was covered by net imports. Notably, electricity exports surged by 47.9%, with exports exceeding 4,000 MW for the first time in December, highlighting Italy’s growing role in regional energy markets.
Renewable capacity grew by 7,480 MW, reaching a total of 76.6 GW, with solar capacity at 37.1 GW and wind at 13 GW. Storage capacity also increased by 2,113 MW, with 730,000 installations nationwide.
In December, electricity demand rose by 2.8% year-on-year, supported by additional working days and cooler temperatures compared to December 2023. Renewable energy covered 31.7% of monthly demand.
The IMCEI index for industrial consumption showed a 6.5% year-on-year decline in December, while the IMSER index recorded a slight decrease in October but saw a 3.7% increase over the first ten months of the year.
Overall, 2024 saw growth in renewable generation and capacity, with significant investments in clean energy infrastructure, but challenges remain in balancing regional demand, supply, and storage.
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