Energy dependence in Italy

This report presents facts and figures about energy dependence in Italy. According to the definition provided by the European Commission, energy dependence refers to the extent to which an economy relies upon imports in order to meet its energy needs. The energy dependency rate, which is the indicator linked to the concept, is the ratio between net imports and the sum of gross inland energy consumption plus bunkers. The problem of dependence on energy imports is quite a common one among many European countries - including Italy - which rely considerably on imported fossil fuels to produce energy. After a general overview, the report provides data about volume and value of energy sources’ imports, with a major focus on fossil fuels. Moreover, it shows figures concerning the national energy expenditure, which represents the balance between expenses for imports and earnings from exports and as such is a useful concept to detect the level of Italian energy dependence. The publication ends with data on the main oil and gas suppliers.