Italy may withdraw from coal-fired power by 2024, one year ahead of schedule

According to foreign media reports, Italian Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin stated on June 5th that if natural gas prices can be maintained at current levels, Italy may withdraw from coal-fired power generation in 2024, one year ahead of its original plan.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Italy has had to seek Alternative fuel for Russian imported natural gas. In 2022, the proportion of coal-fired power generation in Italy surged from 4.6% in 2021 to 7.5%.

We plan to phase out coal-fired power by 2025 or even earlier, "Reuters quoted Frattin as saying. If natural gas prices can remain at the current level, we hope to successfully retire coal in 2024

Currently, the Italian government is reviewing the Energy and Climate Planning (PNIEC), with the current goal of phasing out coal by 2025.

Frattin stated that natural gas is considered the fossil fuel with the lowest pollutant emissions, and will serve as a transitional energy source in Italy's energy transformation process until 2050. At the same time, the country will gradually enhance its renewable energy generation capacity.

He stated that the Ministry of Environment will release an updated energy and climate strategy in late June, with the goal of increasing the proportion of renewable energy in total electricity generation from one-third to two-thirds by 2030.

In addition, the Minister stated that the Italian government is considering whether to reactivate nuclear energy in the future. Analysts say that without nuclear energy, relying solely on renewable energy is not enough.