Enea, in 2022 energy consumption -3% but more emissions

2022 will be remembered not only as the year of crisis in the gas and electricity marketswith Russian gas flows to Europe halved and prices doubled compared to 2021, but also like the year that closed with a contraction of energy consumption of 12% in the last quarterwhich in average annual terms translates into a decrease of over 3%, slightly lower than the European average (-4%). Among the positive aspects, the growth of one percentage point in the share of renewables on final consumption which stood at 20%. On the other hand, the ISPRED index, developed by the Agency to measure the energy transition on the basis of the trend in prices, emissions and safety, deteriorated sharply (-54%).

This is what emerges fromQuarterly analysis of the Italian energy system of theAENEAS which highlights for thewhole 2022 also there growth in carbon dioxide emissionswho have registered the second consecutive year-on-year increase (+0.5%), however a less negative figure than the +8.5% in 2021.

“As in the rest of the Eurozone the collapse in energy consumption in the last quarter was caused by demand contraction and adaptation actions in industry (production of intermediate goods -6%), exceptionally mild weather at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season of heating and consumption containment measures“, points out Francesco Graccevathe ENEA researcher who coordinates the analysis.

“From August 2022 to February 2023, reference period of National containment plani gas consumption was 19% lower and those of electricity by 4% compared to the average of the last five years“. In 2022, given the robust increase in GDP (+3.7%), the energy intensity of the economy decreased to an unprecedented extent (-7%).

“It is a figure strongly influenced by contingent factors, but it is true that unlike what has been constantly observed in recent years, since mid-2022 in Italy a substantial decoupling seems to emerge between the demand for energy and some of its main drivers, such as GDP, industrial production, climate and mobility”, underlines Gracceva.

At the level of average prices 2022 compared to 2021that ofelectricity grew by more than 100%While that of gas increased by 57%. “The price crisis has not been accompanied by a crisis in the physical availability of resources, thanks to the record imports of liquefied natural gas into Europe and the drop in consumption, as well as the mild climate at the end of 2022. Starting from the last months of the year , all of this has led to a decisive reduction in gas prices, and in the wake of those of electricity, but the equilibrium of the gas market remains fragile.

Beyond the short term, high prices remain a serious threat to the competitiveness of European industry, just think how in the two main manufacturing countries of the EU, Germany and Italy, the industrial production of the most energy-intensive goods was strongly negative in 2022 “, continues Gracceva.