Italy

Abstract

Italy produces small volumes of natural gas and oil but virtually no coal, so that domestic production only meets 23% of its primary energy needs in 2018. Yet the country counts among Europe’s largest energy consumers. Most of the country’s fossil-fuel supplies – as well as a significant share of its electricity – are therefore imported and increasingly so. Although the country’s oil imports are diverse, the more than 50% of the quantities originate from Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Russia. To alleviate the country’s dependency on oil imports, the demand for natural gas has been steadily rising since 1973, exceeding domestic production. Ninety-two percent (93%) of domestic consumption of natural gas was met by imports in 2018, mostly from Algeria and the Russian Federation.