RSE has recently published the study “Life Cycle Air Emissions External Costs of the current and future Italian electricity generation” that adopts an original and innovative approach to combine Life Cycle Assessment with monetary evaluation of the environmental externalities of electricity generation in Italy.

The analysis, conducted by Carmen Ferrara, Benedetta Marmiroli, Andrea Molocchi, Giulio Mela, Maria Leonor Carvalho e Pierpaolo Girardi, examines the 2022 electricity mix and two decarbonization scenarios for 2030 and 2040, applying a regionalized approach to life-cycle air emissions.

The results show that greenhouse gases account for over 90% of total externalities, with impacts arising predominantly within Italy. This highlights a significant potential for national and European policies aimed at internalizing environmental costs. The progressive decarbonization of the electricity system reduces externalities per kWh, underscoring the effectiveness of the energy transition.

The study also identifies relevant shifts in the distribution of externalities: from fossil‑fuel‑exporting countries to producers of renewable‑energy technologies – primarily China – and from fuels to renewable‑energy infrastructures. The adopted approach provides useful insights for integrated policy strategies that couple national decarbonization efforts with targeted interventions along the global supply chains of renewable‑energy technologies to ensure the maximization of environmental benefits.

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