🇮🇹 Italy Energy Profile 47% Gas Electricity Zero Nuclear (since 1990)
electricity share (2023)
(Alps & Apennines)
~31 GW installed
~12 GW installed
Closed 1987–1990
by 2030 (PNIEC)
Italy Electricity Mix (2023)
Clean Energy Share Trend (%)
Italy Gas Imports by Source (Bcm/yr)
Russia Gas Dependency — Before and After Ukraine War
Italy's Gas Dependency — A Post-War Restructuring
Italy was one of Europe's most Russia-dependent gas consumers — importing ~40% of gas from Russia via the TAG pipeline (Austria) before the 2022 Ukraine invasion. Italy's government under PM Draghi and then Meloni aggressively diversified, striking new LNG and pipeline deals with Algeria (Trans-Mediterranean pipeline), Azerbaijan (TAP pipeline), Qatar, Egypt, and Congo.
Mattei Plan: PM Meloni's "Mattei Plan" (named after ENI's founder Enrico Mattei) aims to make Italy a European hub for African energy — particularly gas, green hydrogen, and electricity from North Africa via a Mediterranean cable (Elmed project with Tunisia).
Italy Solar Capacity (GW)
Italy Wind + Solar Annual Generation (TWh)
Italy's Solar and Wind Story
Italy was the world's largest solar market in 2011 during the European solar boom, driven by Conto Energia feed-in tariffs. Solar collapsed after FIT removal (2013) but has rebounded since 2020 under PNIEC market incentives. Italy's strong solar irradiance (especially south and Sicily) and permitting reforms are accelerating new capacity additions.
Agrivoltaics: Italy is one of the EU leaders in agrivoltaics — combining agriculture with solar panels on the same land. Agrivoltaic installations qualify for enhanced incentives under the Decreto FER 2 (2023). ENI, Enel Green Power, and EDF Italia are major developers.
Italy's Nuclear History — Built, Then Closed
Italy was a nuclear pioneer — operating four power plants (Latina, Garigliano, Trino Vercellese, Caorso) from the 1960s. All were shut down following the Chernobyl disaster: a 1987 national referendum voted to end nuclear power, and all plants were closed by 1990. Italy has been nuclear-free for 34 years and imports significant electricity from France (which is 70%+ nuclear).
| Plant | Capacity | Operated | Reason for closure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latina | 153 MW (Magnox) | 1963–1986 | Age; post-Chernobyl |
| Garigliano | 150 MW (BWR) | 1964–1978 | Technical issues |
| Trino Vercellese | 270 MW (PWR) | 1965–1987 | Referendum result |
| Caorso | 860 MW (BWR) | 1978–1986 | Chernobyl moratorium; referendum |
2024 Nuclear Debate: PM Meloni's government has reopened the nuclear debate, proposing advanced nuclear (SMRs, Gen IV) as part of a future clean energy mix. A "National Platform for Nuclear Sustainable Energy" was announced in 2024. A second referendum would be required to reverse the 1987 decision — polls show growing public acceptance of nuclear, particularly among young Italians.
PNIEC (Piano Nazionale Integrato per l'Energia e il Clima)
Italy's National Energy and Climate Plan was updated in 2024 to align with EU's revised 2030 targets. The PNIEC 2024 sets 65% renewable electricity and targets 11.5 GW of new capacity per year.
| Target | 2030 Goal | 2023 Status |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable electricity share | 65% | ~43% |
| Solar capacity | 79 GW | ~31 GW |
| Onshore wind | 28 GW | ~12 GW |
| Offshore wind | 5 GW (floating) | <100 MW |
| Battery storage | 71 GWh | <5 GWh |
| Green hydrogen | 5 GW electrolyzers | Pilot stage |
| GHG reduction | -65% vs 1990 | ~-35% |
Permitting bottleneck: Italy's main barrier to renewable growth is not demand or financing but permitting. Complex approvals involving multiple local, regional, and national authorities take 5–8 years for wind projects. The government has introduced "zone di accelerazione" (acceleration zones) and streamlined permitting for projects under 10 MW.
Italy Offshore Wind — A Late Starter with Huge Potential
Italy has <100 MW of offshore wind installed despite having some of Europe's best offshore wind resources — particularly in the Strait of Sicily, Sardinia, and Adriatic Sea. The Mediterranean Sea is too deep for conventional fixed-bottom turbines in most locations, making Italy a prime market for floating offshore wind (FLOW).
| Project | Developer | Location | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nemo | Renexia (Toto Costruzioni) | Taranto, Puglia | 30 MW | Operating (Italy's only offshore) |
| SardEolico | Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners | Sardinia floating | 200 MW (pilot) | Approved 2024 |
| Wind floating Med | ENI + Saipem | Sicily Channel | 750 MW | Development |
| Adriatic Wind | Iberdrola | Adriatic Sea | 1,000 MW | Permitting |
The PNIEC target of 5 GW floating offshore wind by 2030 is ambitious given Italy's current near-zero base. Saipem (an ENI subsidiary) is a global leader in floating wind installation vessels and platforms, giving Italy industrial capacity advantages for FLOW development.