Italy risks falling behind in Europe’s green transition, as a new report warns that the country may fail to meet its 2030 carbon reduction targets due to delays in implementing key renewable energy projects and electricity storage infrastructure.
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The report, issued by the Edison Group and the research center TIHA, indicates that Italy could require an additional ten years to complete its projects compared to the original timeline, putting it off track from the European Union’s decarbonization goals.
Investment Gaps and Infrastructure Challenges
The study highlights a clear investment gap: while Italy has the potential to develop 13.6 GW of hydroelectric storage across 56 new sites, bureaucratic delays, permitting complexities, and grid-connection challenges continue to hinder utilization of this capacity.
Additionally, the cost of solar energy projects in Italy is approximately 20% higher than in France, Germany, and Spain, due to network congestion, limited available land, and lengthy government approval processes.
Economic Implications
The report warns that ongoing bottlenecks could cost Italy significant economic opportunities. Combining hydroelectric storage, advanced nuclear energy, and carbon capture technologies could potentially add €190 billion to Italy’s GDP by 2050.
Nicola Monti, CEO of Edison, emphasized that Italy needs to reduce dependence on foreign energy and technology, support domestic supply chains—especially in hydroelectric pumping—and build European partnerships in new nuclear and carbon capture technologies.
This challenge is not unique to Italy but reflects a broader European struggle between ambitious climate targets and the capacity to implement them. While the EU raises its climate ambitions, countries like Italy face domestic barriers that could erode competitiveness and increase reliance on energy imports, conflicting with energy security and economic sovereignty goals.
