Italy daylight saving time and energy efficiency debate

Italy is preparing to return to standard time on the night of October 24–25, 2026, a transition that has renewed discussions regarding the potential for permanent daylight saving time. While the shift causes minor consumer inconveniences, such as manually resetting domestic devices, the economic and environmental implications of seasonal time changes remain a central focus of the debate.

Data from Terna indicates that daylight saving time provides significant benefits, with an estimated reduction in electricity consumption of approximately 302 million kWh between March 29 and October 25, 2026. This reduction is projected to result in an economic benefit of roughly 80 million euros and a decrease of 142,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Antonio Disi of ENEA notes that while the benefits of daylight saving have decreased due to more efficient LED lighting, the practice still provides significant advantages for the national electrical system. This consumption reduction is equivalent to the annual usage of 115,000 families.

Long-term data from Terna reveals that between 2004 and 2025, daylight saving time allowed for a total consumption reduction of over 12 billion kWh, resulting in a cumulative economic benefit estimated at approximately 2.3 billion euros.

Separately, the 15th ENEA Annual Report on Energy Efficiency indicates that Italy achieved energy savings of 5.08 Mtep between 2021 and 2025. This figure represents 85% of the country’s intermediate goal under the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). Tax deduction mechanisms were identified as the primary driver of these savings, accounting for 52% of the total.