Record renewable energy sources: in May they cover 50% of electrici...
31 July 2022
2020 will be a memorable year for many reasons, including the significant drop in energy consumption and the contribution of renewable sources. The closures imposed in response to the pandemic have, in fact, led to a number of records, including the share of renewable sources against total Italian electricity demand: in May the contribution of renewable energy sources (RES) exceeded 50%.
This is just one of the facts that emerges from ENEA’s “Quarterly analysis of the Italian energy system“, a report that examines the factors that characterise the national energy system, to assess trends in the three main aspects of the energy policy: decarbonisation, security and cost of energy – collectively referred to as the “energy trilemma“. According to ENEA, in the second quarter of this year, demand fell by 22% (with a peak of -30% in April), while CO2 emissions dropped by 26%. With traffic reduced to a minimum, demand for oil fell by 30% from April to June 2020; during the same period, natural gas consumption fell by 18% and electricity imports by 70%. On the other hand, renewables have grown, marking a new all-time high in electricity demand.
