Rome, September 11, 2026 – Natural gas represents and will continue to represent a strategic component in the Italian energy system and in the country’s economic-productive fabric. The integration, through existing infrastructures, of more sustainable carriers such as biomethane, hydrogen, and gas with reduced or zero CO₂ content, is the key to accompany the evolution of the energy system towards a just energy transition.
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These are some of the main points of the statement presented by Pier Lorenzo Dell’Orco, president of Proxigas, within the periodic hearings on the strategic framework of the Regulatory Authority for Energy Networks and Environment (Arera).
The context: gas demand grew by 1% in 2026
Gas demand, after the consumption contraction recorded during the 2022-23 energy crisis, has returned to grow registering +2.1% in 2025 and +1% in the first seven months of 2026. Gas also plays a crucial role in thermoelectric generation: in July 2026, gas consumption for thermoelectric generation increased by 18% compared to the same month of the previous year. Industry also continues to rely on gas, especially in sectors characterized by high-temperature processes, while in the residential sector gas meets almost 50% of the energy demand and ensures heating for about 70% of homes.
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Natural gas is central to the energy transition
“Out of about 16 million homes in energy classes F–G, the installation of heat pumps is technically feasible in less than 6 million units and, considering economic constraints, in less than 2 million,” explains Proxigas president Pier Lorenzo Dell’Orco. Also in the district heating sector, natural gas is a central resource: “its use accounts for 70% of consumption,” while in cogeneration “it powers about 81% of installed capacity, while renewable sources contribute only 8%.”
Gas proves to be a guarantee of security for national industrial competitiveness, ensuring flexibility and reliability in the energy transition.
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