The transition of the energy system finds its pace towards decarbonisation and the Ispred index (Security-Price-Decarbonisation Index which measures the progress of the energy transition) developed by Enea records a significant improvement in 2023 (+25%) compared to 2022, when it had collapsed to the lowest point in the historical series (since 2008), penalized by the increase in emissions and record energy prices.
This is what emerges from the latest report on energy consumption by Enea.
For the next few years it is foreseeable that the positive trend of decarbonisation will continue, states Stefano Gracceva, author of the report, but "it still remains difficult to achieve the rate of reduction in emissions, around 5% on average per year, necessary to reach the decarbonisation target expected for 2030".
On the wholesale price front, despite the drops recorded, in 2023 the average prices of gas and electricity remained at historically high levels, such as to continue to exert pressure on containing demand.
The Analysis also highlights a strong expansion (+25%) at a global level in public spending on energy research in the period 2019-22, concentrated in particular on "enabling" technologies, with a significant growth in energy efficiency spending (almost a quarter of the expenditure published in in energy research), but with a slowdown in spending on renewables.
However, this increase is not noticeable in Italy where the growth in public spending on energy research is lower (+0.6%) with increases limited to the hydrogen (approximately +160%) and nuclear sectors (approximately +40%).
The decline in research spending in the energy efficiency sector appears particularly critical (-12%).
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