Descrizione 1
Antonella Bernetti
The indicator quantifies fuel consumption in the transport sector to monitor and/or reduce and diversify it. Energy consumption in transport has shown an upward trend since the 1990s, followed by a decline starting in 2007. In 2018 and 2019, consumption rebounded, while 2020 saw a sharp reduction due to the pandemic crisis, followed by a recovery in 2021 and a further increase in 2022. Road transport and fossil fuels account for the predominant share. Several critical issues characterize the national transport system, which remains far from the ambitious 2030 and 2050 European targets for fuel consumption in the transport sector.
Energy consumption, particularly that of fossil fuels, is closely linked to greenhouse gas emissions and energy supply security. The indicator considers energy consumption in the transport sector at the national level, including its relation to GDP. Consumption data are disaggregated by transport mode, type of fuel, and traffic category (passenger/freight).
To quantify fuel consumption in the transport sector with the aim of reducing and/or diversifying it.
The objectives established at the EU level include achieving sustainable levels of energy use in transport, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, and decoupling economic growth from transport demand in order to mitigate environmental impacts (EU Council, 2006).
Given the high cost of fuels and the strategic need to reduce dependence on these raw materials, it is essential to optimize the potential of each transport mode.
Fuels used for road transport in the EU must meet strict quality requirements to protect human health and the environment, and to ensure the safe operation of vehicles across Member States.
Common fuel quality rules contribute both to the reduction of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions and to the establishment of a single fuel market, allowing vehicles to operate seamlessly throughout the EU using compatible fuels.
Directive 2009/30/EC on fuel quality mandates a minimum 6% reduction by 2020 in the greenhouse gas emission intensity of transport fuels per unit of energy.
Together with Directive 2009/28/EC on renewable energy, it also governs the sustainability criteria for biofuels. Directive 2009/28/EC requires each Member State to ensure that, by 2020, the share of energy from renewable sources in all forms of transport is at least 10% of the final energy consumption in the transport sector.
Directive 2009/28/EC was later replaced by Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II), which requires each Member State to set an obligation for fuel suppliers to ensure that by 2030, the share of renewable energy in the final energy consumption of road and rail transport reaches at least 14%.
CO₂ emissions targets are also critical, as CO₂ is the main greenhouse gas and is directly linked to fuel consumption. The EU White Paper on Transport sets targets to halve the use of conventionally-fuelled cars in urban transport by 2030 and to phase them out entirely by 2050. It also aims to achieve CO₂-free urban logistics in major cities by 2030. For aviation, the target is to reach a 40% share of low-carbon sustainable fuels by 2050. For maritime transport, the goal is a 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions from bunker fuels used, with a potential target of 50%, also by 2050.
Regarding vehicle CO₂ emissions, the targets for passenger cars (Regulation EC 443/2009) by 2015 and for vans (Regulation EU 510/2011) by 2017 were already achieved in 2013. On 17 April 2019, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2019/631, establishing new CO₂ emission standards for cars and vans, effective from 1 January 2020. Regulation (EU) 2019/1242, setting CO₂ emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, entered into force on 14 August 2019.
The 2030 Climate and Energy Framework sets EU-wide policy targets for the 2021–2030 period. Key targets include:
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At least a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels
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At least a 32% share of renewable energy
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At least a 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency
These goals were adopted by the European Council in October 2014.
The targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency were further revised upward by Directive (EU) 2018/2001, which establishes a common framework for the promotion of energy from renewable sources and sets a binding overall target. Member States must collectively ensure that the share of renewable energy in the EU’s gross final energy consumption reaches at least 32% by 2030, setting national contributions through their Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
The European Green Deal outlines, among other 2050 objectives for achieving climate neutrality, a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport (compared to 1990 levels), increased production and uptake of sustainable alternative fuels, and enhanced multimodality, particularly by shifting freight transport to rail and inland waterways.
The European Climate Law (Regulation EU 2021/1119, 30 June 2021) makes the political commitment of the European Green Deal to climate neutrality by 2050 legally binding and sets an EU-wide emission reduction target of 55% by 2030.
The "Fit for 55" package includes the legislative proposals needed to achieve the -55% net emissions reduction target by 2030, supporting the green transition and defining the pathway toward climate neutrality by 2050.
In the transport sector, the 2030 target set for Italy by the 2023 National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) regarding the share of total energy consumption covered by renewable energy sources (RES) is 30.7%.
Descrizione 2
(a) European Commission, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – *"A Roadmap for Moving to a Competitive Low-Carbon Economy in 2050"*, COM(2011) 112, 8.3.2011.
(b) European Commission, White Paper – "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a Competitive and Resource-Efficient Transport System", COM(2011) 144, 28.3.2011.
(c) European Commission, Energy Roadmap 2050, COM(2011) 885/2.
(d) European Commission, White Paper on the Future of Europe – Reflections and Scenarios for the EU27 by 2025, COM(2017) 2025, 1 March 2017.
(e) European Commission, The European Green Deal, COM(2019) 640 final.
(f) EEA (European Environment Agency), Monitoring CO₂ Emissions from Passenger Cars, various years. https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/co2-cars-emission-20
(g) EUROSTAT Database, European Commission, various years. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database
(h) GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), Monitoring of Renewable Energy Sources, 2023. https://www.gse.it/dati-e-scenari/monitoraggio-fer/monitoraggio-nazionale/settore-trasporti
(i) Innovhub, Report on the Physico-Chemical Characterization of Fossil Fuels Used in Italy, Experimental Fuel Station, various years.
(j) IPCC, 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, 2006.
(k) ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale), National Inventory of Atmospheric Emissions, 2024. https://emissioni.sina.isprambiente.it/inventario-nazionale/
(l) ISPRA, Italian Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2022, National Inventory Report 2024, Report 398/2024.
(m) ISPRA, Annual Report on the Quality of Automotive Fuels Produced, Imported, and Marketed in Italy, various years. https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/documenti-tecnici/relazione-annuale-sulla-qualita-dei-combustibili-per-autotrazione-prodotti-importati-e-commercializzati-nell-anno-2022
(n) ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica), Gross Domestic Product at Market Prices, various years. http://dati.istat.it/
(o) MASE (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security), National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), 2023. https://www.mase.gov.it/sites/default/files/PNIEC_2023.pdf
(p) MASE, MIMIT, National Energy Balance, various years. https://dgsaie.mise.gov.it/ben.php
(q) MIMIT (Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy), Guide to Fuel Savings and CO₂ Emissions, various years. https://www.mise.gov.it/index.php/it/mercato-e-consumatori/qualita-di-prodotti-e-servizi/auto-ed-emissioni-co2
(r) MIMIT, National Action Plan for Renewable Energy in Italy, 2010.
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Qualificazione dati
The data are sourced from official statistics and databases, including Eurostat, GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics), and fiscal documentation such as the National Energy Balance provided by MASE (Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security) and MIMIT (Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy).
National
1990 - 2022
Qualificazione indicatore
The national energy consumption data presented are primarily derived from the National Energy Balance (compiled by MASE and MIMIT, various years).
Electricity consumption figures have been updated using the Eurostat historical data series. The energy consumption data have been processed and updated in accordance with the classification scheme defined by the IPCC methodology, which is used for compiling the National Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory submitted under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
The reported consumption refers to road, aviation, maritime, and rail transport.
Consumption of other liquid fuels includes estimates of lubricating oil combusted in two-stroke engines used in road transport.
For natural gas, data include not only road transport consumption but also pipeline transport, estimated according to the methodology outlined in the IPCC Guidelines.
Off-road vehicle consumption and other machinery used in residential, agricultural, industrial sectors and by Public Administration are not considered.
With regard to aviation and maritime fuels, a distinction is made between domestic and international uses. This is achieved using a methodology that estimates fuel consumption by national air and maritime carriers.
International fuel consumption is calculated as the difference between total fuel use reported in the National Energy Balance and estimated national use.
At present, the assessment is rated as poor, due to several critical issues such as the predominant use of fossil fuels in total energy consumption and the dominance of road transport as the main transport mode.
The share of total energy consumption covered by renewable energy sources in the national transport sector, calculated according to the methodology established by Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II), was 10.0% in 2021. The figure for 2020, not fully comparable due to its calculation under Directive 2009/28/EC (RED I), was 10.7%.
The draft National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) submitted to the European Commission in July 2023 sets for Italy a 2030 target of 30.7% of total transport energy consumption to be covered by renewable energy sources (RES).
Considering national transport energy consumption data (Table 1), in 2022, gasoline accounted for 21.3%, diesel for 58.7%, LPG and road natural gas for 4.4% and 1.4%, respectively, biofuels for 4.2%, and electricity for 2.0%. Fuels used in domestic aviation and navigation represented 2.2% and 4.7% of total consumption, respectively.
Road transport continues to be the dominant mode over the years (Table 2), consistently accounting for more than 90% of total energy consumption in the transport sector.
From 1990 to 2022, the consumption trend is influenced by multiple factors and is overall assessed negatively, especially considering the ambitious European targets for 2030 and 2050 regarding transport sector consumption.
Energy consumption increased until 2006, followed by a decline starting in 2007. In 2018 and 2019, a recovery in consumption was observed; however, 2020 saw a sharp decrease attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, followed by a rebound in 2021 and a further increase in 2022.
Gasoline consumption has shown a declining trend over the years. Conversely, diesel consumption has steadily increased and currently represents the largest share of total consumption. The consumption of lower-impact fuels has grown, but their share of total consumption remains marginal. Electricity consumption in transport has significantly increased compared to 1990, yet its share of total consumption remains limited (Table 1).
The consumption trend in the transport sector is strongly driven by road transport, which constitutes the predominant share. Despite progressive improvements in unit energy consumption per vehicle model (see also the Specific Carbon Dioxide Emissions indicator), total energy consumption in road transport has risen between 1990 and 2022. Vehicle energy efficiency gains over the years have not offset the effects of increasing transport demand, modal shifts favoring road and air transport, and increases in average vehicle power and engine displacement.
From 2007 onwards, the effects of vehicle technological innovations were combined with reduced passenger and freight transport, mainly due to the economic crisis. This decline continued in 2009 and 2010, and was particularly marked between 2011 and 2013, mainly driven by a significant reduction in freight traffic.
Consumption increased in 2014 due to higher passenger mobility, in 2018 because of increased freight traffic (see also Freight and Passenger Traffic indicator), showed a slight rise in 2019, followed by a post-pandemic recovery in 2021 and a further increase in 2022. These changes have resulted in an overall growth in energy consumption in the transport sector over the last decade (Figure 1).
In 2020, compared to 2019, a sharp contraction of approximately -18% occurred, mainly due to mobility restrictions related to the pandemic crisis; the subsequent recovery in 2021 reflected an increase of approximately the same magnitude. Notably, fuel consumption related to domestic aviation experienced the largest decrease between 2019 and 2020 (around -50%) and the largest increase from 2020 to 2021 (around +43%).
It is estimated that overall consumption increased by 6.2% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Over the entire period from 1990 to 2022, the net increase amounts to +11.6% (Table 1).
Dati
Table 1: Total energy consumption in the transport sector (final uses)
Processed by ISPRA based on data from MASE, MIMIT, Eurostat.
The national consumption data time series has been estimated for the preparation of the National Emissions Inventory reported under the UNFCCC framework, based on data from the National Energy Balance (MASE, MIMIT, various years). Electricity consumption data have been updated using the Eurostat time series. Consumption data, primarily derived from the National Energy Balance, have been processed consistently with the reference classification of the IPCC methodology adopted for estimating greenhouse gas emissions. The time series has been recalculated in line with the update of the National Emissions Inventory. The consumption of other liquid fuels refers to lubricating oil burned on-road in two-stroke engines. For natural gas, details are provided not only for on-road consumption but also for pipeline transport, estimated according to the methodology outlined in the IPCC Guidelines. Consumption from off-road vehicles and other machinery used in residential, agricultural, industrial, and public administration sectors are not included in the table.
Table 2: Energy Consumption Indicators in the Transport Sector Relative to GDP, with Detailed Breakdown by Transport Mode
ISPRA processing based on ISTAT and Eurostat data
In this table, the indicators are processed and updated based on Eurostat energy consumption data; therefore, the figures differ from those used for the other indicators in this chapter. ISTAT data on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are available from 1995 onwards; for the earlier years (1990–1994), the data source is ISPRA’s processing based on ISTAT data.
Figure 1: Energy Consumption in the Transport Sector, Final Uses (PJ)
Processed by ISPRA based on data from MASE, MIMIT, and Eurostat.
The historical series of national consumption data has been estimated for the purpose of preparing the National Emissions Inventory reported within the UNFCCC framework, based on data from the National Energy Balance (MASE, MIMIT, various years). Electricity consumption data have been updated using the Eurostat historical series. Consumption data, primarily derived from the National Energy Balance, have been processed to ensure consistency with the reference classification of the IPCC methodology adopted for estimating greenhouse gas emissions. The historical series has been recalculated in line with the update of the National Emissions Inventory. The consumption of other liquid fuels refers to lubricating oil burned on-road in two-stroke engines. For natural gas, details are provided not only for on-road consumption but also for pipeline transport, estimated according to the methodology described in the IPCC Guidelines. Consumption by off-road vehicles and other machinery used in residential, agricultural, industrial, and public administration sectors is not considered.
From 1990 to 2022, the consumption trend in the transport sector primarily reflects the consumption pattern observed in road transport, which accounts for the largest share of energy consumption compared to other modes. The fuels used are predominantly of fossil origin.
The aviation sector exhibits the most pronounced dynamics, both in terms of growth during the period 1990–2019, the contraction due to the pandemic, and the subsequent recovery (Table 1). Regarding fossil fuels, in 2007 diesel surpassed gasoline as the most widely used fuel for cars. Diesel is also predominantly used by commercial vehicles.
Referring to Figure 1, in the transport sector, after the growth period observed from 1990, a decline in total consumption has been noted since 2007, mainly attributable to the economic crisis as well as to technological improvements in vehicles. During the last decade, slight increases were observed in 2014, 2018, and 2019; the impact of the pandemic is evident in 2020, followed by a recovery in 2021 and a further increase in 2022.
Table 2 highlights a decrease in energy consumption per unit of GDP for transport, which became more pronounced after 2005. A detailed analysis of the two series shows that the trends in transport energy consumption and GDP can be broken down into several phases. In particular, energy consumption in transport exhibited more marked dynamics than GDP, with growth until 2007, a decrease during the periods 2007–2019 and 2019–2020, a subsequent recovery from 2020 to 2021, and a further increase up to 2022.