Italy’s wholesale electricity market logs 88 zero‑price hours in H1 2026

Italy’s wholesale electricity market recorded 88 hours with a zero price in the first half of 2026, four times the 20 zero‑price hours logged in the same period of 2025. The surge is linked to a 19% increase in solar generation and a 16% rise in wind power, which together covered 33% of national electricity demand in May – a new record.

Despite the growth of solar and wind, overall renewable capacity in Italy advanced by just over 1% because hydroelectric output fell. Electricity demand grew 2.5% and was largely met by gas, whose share in power generation rose 4.4%. CO₂ emissions fell 2% compared with the EU average of 3%. The ENEA Ispred index, which tracks the energy transition, dropped 25% amid delays in meeting the 2030 decarbonisation target and higher oil prices. The Strait of Hormuz crisis pushed crude oil up 27% in the first half of the year and 50% between March and June, contributing to electricity price increases of more than 20% across the EU.