Panel 1
Antonio Caputo, Francesca Palomba
In 2020, the share of energy from renewable sources in Italy reached 20.4% of gross final energy consumption, exceeding the national target of 17% set for 2020. In 2021, the share decreased to 18.9%, and in 2022 it slightly rose to 19.1%, recording an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year.
This indicator measures the share of energy from renewable sources relative to gross final energy consumption. It is based on the methodology defined by Directive 2009/28/EC (Renewable Energy Directive) for the period up to 2020 and by Directive (EU) 2018/2001 from 2021 onward. It is calculated using data collected under Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2008 on energy statistics (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2022/132) and supplemented by specific data reported by national authorities to Eurostat.
To assess the contribution of clean and non-depletable energy sources to final energy consumption, with the aim of increasing their use.
Directive 2009/28/EC establishes binding national targets for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption by 2020 for each EU Member State. These targets include renewable energy consumption for electricity generation, heating and cooling, and transport. The Directive also allows for statistical transfers of a specified amount of renewable energy between Member States and encourages cooperation both within the EU and with third countries for the production of renewable energy. The renewable energy target assigned to Italy was 17% of gross final consumption. Legislative Decree No. 28/2011, implementing Directive 2009/28/EC, defines the criteria for the development of renewable energy sources, primarily through incentive schemes and the simplification of authorization procedures.
Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, which entered into force in December 2018, aims to contribute to the EU’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. It sets a new binding EU-level target for 2030 of at least 32% renewable energy, with a review clause allowing for a potential upward revision by 2023. This target builds on the previous 20% target for 2020. To help Member States meet the new objective, the Directive introduced specific measures for various sectors—particularly heating, cooling, and transport, where progress had been slower. For example, it sets a target of 14% for the share of renewable fuels in the transport sector by 2030. It also includes new provisions enabling citizens to actively participate in renewable energy development through renewable energy communities and self-consumption, and strengthens sustainability criteria for bioenergy.
Under the European Green Deal, the EU revised its climate policy framework by setting a 2030 target of at least a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels, a renewable energy share of at least 42.5% (as established by Directive (EU) 2023/2413 — known as RED III), with the ambition to reach 45%, in line with the REPowerEU Plan adopted by the European Commission in May 2022 (COM(2022) 230). Furthermore, it set targets to improve energy efficiency by at least 36% in terms of final energy consumption and by at least 39% in terms of primary energy consumption, relative to the projected baseline scenario (PRIMES 2007 model). These revised targets also led to the amendment of Directive (EU) 2018/2001.
The necessary measures to achieve the European objectives linked to the European Green Deal and REPowerEU have been included in Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), submitted to the European Commission in 2021, and subsequently integrated into the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), with a 2030 outlook, submitted in June 2024.
Panel 2
Data quality assessment
EUROSTAT (Statistical Office of the European Communities)
EUROSTAT (Statistical Office of the European Communities) (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database)
National
2004-2022
Indicator assessment
Energy data are reported by Member States to EUROSTAT through the Annual Joint Questionnaire (Eurostat/IEA/UNECE). The calculation is carried out in accordance with the methodology established by Directive 2009/28/EC.
The national share of energy from renewable sources in 2022 amounted to 19.1% of gross final energy consumption (Table 1 and Figure 1), calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Directive (EU) 2018/2001, registering a slight increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2021. Italy’s target for 2030 is 38.7%, as stated in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (INECP) submitted to the European Commission in June 2024.
The use of renewable energy has continuously increased in the EU27, with the 2022 share more than doubling since 2004, when renewables accounted for 9.6% of gross final energy consumption. In the period 2004–2020, the national share of renewable energy grew by an average of 0.9 percentage points per year. In 2021, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points was recorded compared to the previous year, while in 2022 there was an increase of 0.2 percentage points year-on-year. The share of renewable energy has tripled compared to 2004, when renewables accounted for 6.3% of gross final energy consumption (Table 1 and Figure 1).
Data
Table 1: Share of energy from renewable sources in final energy consumption by European countries
EUROSTAT
]*Since 2020, data for the United Kingdom is not available in the Eurostat database, and Union data refer to EU27 for the entire historical series; n.d. not available.
Directive 2009/28/EC until 2020, Directive (EU) 2018/2001 from 2021.
Figure 1: Share of Renewable Energy in Final Consumption by Country in Europe (2021-2022).
ISPRA processing based on EUROSTAT data.
* Since 2020, the Eurostat database does not include data from the United Kingdom, and the Union data refers to EU27.
The national share of energy consumption from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption reached 19.1% in 2022, recording an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year. The 17% target set for 2020 was already exceeded in 2014. In Europe, the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption reached 23.0% in 2022, showing an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared to 2021 (Table 1 and Figure 1).