IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v317y2025ics0360544225003913.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

100% renewable energy Italy: A vision to achieve full energy system decarbonisation by 2050

Author

Listed:
  • Pastore, Lorenzo Mario
  • de Santoli, Livio

Abstract

This paper explores the potential for a 100% renewable energy system in Italy by 2050, investigating alternative strategies to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors and provide system flexibility. The aim is to evaluate implications, reciprocal effects and synergies between these strategies. The outcomes demonstrate the potential of power-to-X technologies in balancing non-dispatchable generation and reducing biomass consumption. Around 90% of electricity production can come from photovoltaics and onshore and offshore wind. Energy savings, district heating deployment along with electrification of building stock and light transport, by means of heat pumps and electric vehicles, have been considered as key measures. Different application strategies for alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, biofuels and electrofuels, in heavy-duty transport and industry have a significant impact on the configuration of the entire energy system. In scenarios with high hydrogen demand, the power-to-gas strategy allows less reliance on electricity storage systems. Biomass availability emerges as a critical factor, affecting the sustainability of the energy system. A highly flexible demand-side approach offers energy and economic advantages. This study demonstrates the technical and economic feasibility of a carbon neutral energy system in Italy, while acknowledging the challenges towards the full decarbonisation and emphasising the importance of integrated energy planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Pastore, Lorenzo Mario & de Santoli, Livio, 2025. "100% renewable energy Italy: A vision to achieve full energy system decarbonisation by 2050," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:317:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225003913
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134749
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225003913
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134749?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:317:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225003913. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.