Italy records 88 zero-price hours in H1

There were 88 hours with zero energy prices on the Italian wholesale electricity market during the first half of 2026, compared to 20 in the same period of 2025.

The fourfold increase in twelve months represent growth and, in an Analysis of the Italian Energy System by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), is directly linked to the growth of intermittent sources.

Solar generation increased by 19% over the same time period, while wind power increased by 16%. In May, the two energy sources reached a new all-time high in coverage of national electricity demand, at 33%.

However, the growth in solar and wind generation has not translated into an overall advancement in the Italy’s renewables sector, with growth stalling at just over 1%, offset in particular by the decline in hydroelectricity.

Electricity demand, on the other hand, has grown by 2.5%, a gain offset by increased use of gas in power generation, which is up 4.4%.

By mid-2026, the ENEA Ispred index, which assesses the progress of the energy transition, had fallen 25%, due to the further delay in the 2030 decarbonization target and the increase in petroleum prices. CO2 emissions fell by 2% in Italy, compared to the EU average of 3%.

The Strait of Hormuz crisis boosted European stock markets: crude oil rose 27% in the first half of the year and 50% in the March-June quarter; gas rose 3% in the first half of the year but 27% between March and June. Electricity prices, which had fallen in the first quarter on European stock markets, rose by more than 20% in all EU countries after the crisis began. This trend, on the Italian market, coincided with a record number of unpaid hours during the solar periods.