One of the hot topics of recent years is the so-called energy transition. It is brought into the spotlight on the one hand by the increase in the cost of energy and the need to find alternative suppliers for Italy since the war in Ukraine began, and on the other by climate change.
The issues are therefore many and concern in particular the following aspects:
- Need to guarantee businesses and consumers a constant supply of energy.
- Price containment to keep the quality of production and life high.
- Preference towards less impactful sources capable of making a difference for the environment.
The cost of the bills today drives more and more people to compare electricity rates , thanks to a varied proposal and with conditions that are often more accessible than those of shops in presence.
Price is not the only element valued. In fact, more and more individuals and companies are showing sensitivity towards the question of sustainability.
In this article we try to take stock of this aspect, proposing an overview of the sources of electricity.
Non-renewable sources in Italy
Italy depends heavily on foreign countries for its energy needs. An article that appeared on Corriere.it also talks about it, which proposes a map that indicates precisely where gas, oil and coal come from. The total amount is 95.7% against a consumption exceeding 76 billion cubic metres.
The Italian non-renewable production, on the other hand, amounts to just over 4%. It includes fossil fuels obtained in thermoelectric plants , which actually account for an important slice of internal consumption: 77.4% of the total production of electricity, going to satisfy 67.1% of the gross national requirement.
What do these data mean? That the Belpaese depends heavily on foreign countries but that at the same time it has power plants that process fuel in the area for energy production.
Italy has no reserves of fossil fuels and ranks fourth in the ranking of natural gas importing states. It also ranks first in Europe for its dependence on oil for electricity generation.
Finally, the data we have illustrated show how little preference is given to renewable sources over non-renewable ones, with a rather onerous impact on the environment. There is therefore a long way to go towards sustainability.
Renewable sources: where are we?
Let's start by defining what is meant by renewable sources . These are energetic raw materials present in the environment which, once used, do not run out but have, unlike non-renewable ones, the ability to regenerate themselves once the cycle is finished.
They are therefore inexhaustible and non-polluting. Among the main ones we find: wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, energy produced from biomass, marine energy, hydroelectric energy. A wide variety, therefore.
At what stage is Italy? Here are some data:
- Hydroelectricity accounts for 15.8% of production for gross energy needs, with a decrease compared to 2020 due to the sharp decrease in rainfall.
- Geothermal energy is produced almost exclusively in Tuscany and reaches a production of 1.6%.
- Wind farms are widespread above all in Sardinia, Sicily and along the Southern Apennines. Together with the photovoltaic ones, they cover 16.1% of gross production.
On the other hand, the energy obtained from biomass increased , obtained in thermoelectric plants and waste-to-energy plants specialized in the combustion of industrial and urban waste and biomass.
The production of electricity from renewable sources in Italy is around 20% of the total national one. The people employed in the sector amount to around 34,000 in the electricity sector and 28,000 in the thermal sector.
Final note
The growth in energy demand has led to a further increase in consumption compared to previous years.
Currently, Italy's demand is mainly covered by natural gas , stable at 40%, followed by oil , which has stabilized at around 10%. Coal, on the other hand, accounts for 3.3% of national demand.
The potential is considerable in the Belpaese as regards the use of renewable sources , given the conformation of the territory, but they need to be fully exploited. A discourse that is still being evaluated and which sees Italy lagging behind other EU countries, where the average consumption from sustainable sources is around 40%.
