For a detailed picture of the sources of electric power in Italy (including decommission nuclear plants and
renewable energy projects), see the
list of power stations in Italy.
Fossil fuels ,
Lombardy Fossil fuel thermal power plants provide the majority of electricity production in Italy, with a total of 192.1 TWh in 2018, or 66.3% of the electricity produced in the country. During the decade 1997–2007, natural gas power plants experienced strong growth, rising from 24 to 55% of total electricity production; since 2009 they have fallen sharply, falling to 33.5% in 2014, but still representing 53.4% of thermal generation; from 2015 to 2017, they resumed their progression: +35% in two years, rising to 48.4% of total electricity production and 67.2% of thermal production in 2017 (66.9% in 2018); The fuels consumed for the production of electricity in 2018 were: • 10,633 kt of coal and lignite; • 23,592 million m3 of natural gas and 4,772 Mm3 of derived gas; • 585 kt of petroleum products; • 16,718 kt of other solid fuels (biomass, etc.) and 3,496 Mm3 of other gaseous fuels (
biogas, etc.). Enel launched a call for projects for 23 old power plants being closed, representing 13,000 MW, out of a total of 54 power plants; the Tor del Sale combined cycle power plant in
Piombino, near
Livorno in
Tuscany, will serve as a pilot site. In 2017, Enel plans to achieve its goal of zero CO2 emissions, initially set for 2050, 10 years in advance.
Enel Green Power installed 2,500 MW of renewable energy plants in 2017. Enel had already closed 13,000 MW of old fossil thermal power plants in 2015.
Hydroelectricity Italy is the world's 16th largest producer of
hydroelectric power, with a total of 44,257 GWh produced in 2016. Energy from hydro accounted for about 18% of the national production in 2010, with hydroelectric plants located mainly in the
Alps and the
Apennines. In 1883, the engineer Lorenzo Vanossi designed and installed in
Chiavenna the first electric generator in Italy powered by hydraulic power. From the beginning of the 20th century to the 1950s, hydroelectric power accounted for the majority of generated power, but as energy needs increased approaching the 21st century that percentage dropped significantly. in
Entracque,
Piedmont Production by type of development evolved as follows: The number and power of plants by size is:
Geothermal ,
Tuscany Italy was the
first country in the world to exploit geothermal energy to produce electricity. The high geothermal gradient that forms part of the peninsula makes it potentially exploitable also in other regions; research carried out in the 1960s and 1970s identified potential geothermal fields in
Lazio and
Tuscany, as well as in most volcanic islands. In 2019, Italy held 6th place in the world for geothermal electricity production with 6.07 TWh, or 6.7% of global geothermal production. 27 plants have less than 20 MW and 4 more than 40 MW; In 2018, Italy was the 5th largest producer of wind electricity in Europe. In 2017, wind power provided 17% of renewable electricity, 6.0% of the country's electricity production and 5.3% of its electricity consumption. ,
Campania Wind farms are mainly located in the six
southern regions: 90% of the number of sites, 90.5% of the installed capacity and 90.6% of the production in 2017: the residential sector represents 74% of the total, and the tertiary sector 20%; there is a maximum settlement density on the
Adriatic coast, from the
Marche to
Apulia: the average size of units fell sharply: 1.4 MW in 2017 compared to 4.3 MW in 2005 and 4.8 MW in 2009. In addition, a
new subsea HCDC power line was installed in 2015 between Sicily and Malta. Electricity imports amounted to about 40 TWh in 2008. This was the second highest import in the world, after
Brazil. Most electricity imports into Italy come from Switzerland and France. Import accounts for around 10% of total consumption.
Nuclear power in
Trino,
Piedmont, which shut in 1990.
Nuclear power in Italy is a controversial topic.
Italy started to produce
nuclear energy in the early 1960s, but all plants were closed by 1990 following the
Italian nuclear power referendum. Much concern has arisen because Italy is in a
seismically active area, placing it at greater risk for a nuclear accident. Four nuclear power plants have been active in Italy:
Minister of Economic Development Claudio Scajola proposed to build as many as 10 new reactors, with the goal of increasing the nuclear share of Italy's electricity supply to about 25% by 2030. Former
Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi and
President of France Nicolas Sarkozy made an agreement to construct four nuclear power plants in Italy in February 2009. The actual construction of nuclear power is unlikely due to the lack of public support and environmental and construction concerns. However, following the
2011 Japanese nuclear accidents, the Italian government put a one-year moratorium on plans to revive nuclear power. On 11–12 June 2011, Italian voters passed
a referendum to cancel plans for new reactors. Over 94% of the electorate voted in favor of the construction ban, with 55% of the eligible voters participating, making the vote binding. ==Renewable energy targets==