UN - SDG Goals

The indicator quantifies fuel consumption in the transport sector, with the aim of reducing and/or diversifying it. Energy consumption in the transport sector has shown a rising trend since the 1990s, followed by a decline starting in 2007. A recovery in consumption was observed in 2018 and 2019, while the sharp reduction in 2020 is attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a rebound in 2021 and a further increase in 2022 and 2023.

The indicator measures both the energy consumed by end users and the total energy consumption of the country. Since 1990, the available energy for final consumption has shown an upward trend, peaking in 2005. Thereafter, a reversal occurred, reaching a minimum in 2014. Between 2014 and 2018, final consumption increased again, followed by a decline in 2019 and a sharp reduction in 2020, due to the lockdown of economic activities aimed at containing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Consumption then rebounded in 2021, before decreasing over the following two years. In 2023, the energy available for final consumption, calculated according to the Eurostat methodology, amounted to 110.5 Mtoe, representing a 1.3% decrease compared to 2022.

Final electricity consumption exhibited a steady upward trend from 1990 to 2008, subsequently declining as a consequence of the economic crisis. In 2020, in the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, consumption contracted by 5.7% relative to the previous year, followed by a rebound of 6.2% in 2021, and a subsequent downturn in the following years. By 2023, consumption had decreased by 4.6% compared to 2021, stabilizing at 24 Mtoe. The share of industrial consumption declined from 51.7% in 1990 to 38.3% in 2023, while the combined share of the tertiary and residential sectors increased from 43.2% to 56.3%. The contribution of agriculture and fishery remained nearly constant at approximately 2%, whereas the transport sector, despite fluctuations, accounted for around 3.4%.

The indicator is based on the ratio between atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions and final energy consumption by sector. The average value of emission intensities shows a difference between sectors related to the varying adoption of renewable sources. Overall, the emission intensity for final uses has decreased by 28.1% from 1990 to 2023.

The ratio of final energy consumption to total energy consumption measures the overall efficiency of converting energy from primary sources. The difference between these two values corresponds to losses in conversion processes (such as electricity generation and oil refining), internal consumption of power plants, and distribution losses. From 1990 to 2023, the average ratio in our country (75.9%) has been higher than the European average (69.1%). In recent years, a significant increase in the ratio has been observed.

In Italy, the share of energy from renewable sources reached 20.4% of gross final consumption in 2020, exceeding the national target of 17%. In 2023, this share declined to 19.6%, remaining well below the 2030 target of 38.7%.

The comparative assessment within the European Union shows that both Italy’s primary and final energy intensity are lower than the EU average. This outcome can be attributed to the historical scarcity of domestic primary energy resources (which fostered the development of energy-efficient infrastructures and consumption patterns, as well as a production structure that is not excessively energy-intensive), to the high fiscal burden on energy (which has raised end-user energy prices above those of other countries), to the lower per capita income level, and to the relatively mild climate. Based on an ascending ranking of gross energy intensity values, Italy occupies the 7th position among European countries.