We drop from 16th to 20th place due to uncompetitive energy prices. But we still maintain our triple A. Canada and Slovenia rank ahead of us on energy security.
We lose four places in the international index that assesses the energy performance of various countries, compiled by the World energy council. Italy drops from 16th to 20th place in the World energy trilemma index 2018, due to energy costs that are higher than those of its main international competitors. The index evaluates three different aspects of the energy market: sustainability, equity and security of supply.
"Italy continues on its path of strengthening environmental sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency and security," the report states. "Today, renewable energy sources account for 17.7 per cent of gross final energy consumption; the energy intensity of GDP has fallen by 4.9 per cent compared to 2013, and dependence on foreign sources of supply has also decreased, with energy imports (76.5 per cent) down by 6 percentage points compared to 2010." Good news, then.
Nevertheless, some countries have performed better, particularly with regard to the energy transition and energy security, one of the UN's Sustainable development goals (SDGs). Slovenia has entered the index, going straight in at sixth place. Meanwhile, it is Denmark that holds the top spot, followed by Switzerland and Sweden. These three nations are the most balanced across the three indices considered. Compared to Italy, they can boast more competitive and affordable energy costs, while in some of the smaller countries — such as Qatar, Luxembourg, Bahrain and the Netherlands — there is better management of energy connections, and governments there intervene with energy policies and subsidies.
Denmark, moreover, achieves the highest score for energy security, followed by Slovenia and Canada, while in the environmental sustainability ranking it is low-carbon countries — where the share of renewables is higher and consumption is lower — such as the Philippines, Costa Rica and Uruguay that occupy the top positions.
"Developing and maintaining a reliable, secure and equitable energy system requires careful balance," said Philip Lowe, chair of the study group. "This is more challenging in the context of a rapid transition towards decentralised, decarbonised and digital systems, in which policy needs to create new opportunities across each of the trilemma's indices."