In March 2024electricity consumption in Italy fell by 1.4% compared to the same month last year. This is what emerges from a new Terna report who took a photograph of the Italian energy consumption. Overall, in March the demand for energy was equal to 25.7 billion kWh. Looking at the data for the first 3 months of the year, we discover that the national requirement is growing by 0.7% compared to the corresponding period of 2023.
Like every month, triad calculates also the IMCEI index which examines the industrial consumption of so-called “energy-intensive” companies. This index shows a decline of 5.2% compared to March 2023. Only the cement, lime and gypsum sector was positive. For some time, the company that manages the national electricity transmission network also proposes the IMSER index (Monthly Services Index) which allows you to monitor approximately 80% of the entire Italian services sector (hotels, restaurants and bars, commerce, education, transport and more).
To calculate it, Terna relies on monthly electricity consumption data provided by some distribution network operators (E-Distribuzione, UNARETI, A-Reti, Edyna and Deval). Given the time required to obtain all the data, the IMSER index has a time delay of approximately two months compared to the IMCEI index. Therefore, in January 2024 the IMSER index presents a positive change of 5.2% compared to January 2023.
Italian electricity demand in March 2024 79.6% of it was met by national production and for the remaining portion (20.4%) from the balance of energy exchanged with foreign countries.
The value of the monthly foreign balance is equal to 5.2 TWh, 23% more than in March 2023. In particular, the import-export balance is the result of the combined effect of an increase in imports (+22% ) and an almost stationary export (-0.5%). In detail, in the first quarter of 2024, record imports were recorded, which covered 22% of national needs (equal to 17 TWh), due to the average price differentials compared to the main European stock exchanges.
Net Italian energy production amounted to 20.7 billion kWh. Well the renewable ones which covered 41.8% of the requirement (33% in March 2023).
Water sources (+140.4%), photovoltaic (+1.4%) and geothermal sources (+4.1%) are increasing. The wind energy source is decreasing (-5.7%) and the thermal source is also decreasing as a direct consequence of the growth of renewables and imports from abroad: -24% compared to March 2023. Coal production collapses: -87.1%. How much are renewables growing in the first 3 months of 2024 in Italy?
In the first three months of 2024, the growth in renewables recorded in 2023 continues, amounting to 1,844 MW (of which 1,721 MW of photovoltaic). This value is 633 MW higher (+52%) compared to the same period of the previous year.
