Thanks to an advanced energy system modeling, the researchers identified an Italian energy scenario for 2030 that maintains the costs of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC 2030), reducing CO2 emissions further, reaching close to 50% CO2 reduction. The model considers the electricity, thermal and transport sectors including production and demand on an hourly base. It shows that more than 7 billion € annually on imports of fossil fuels can be saved by implementing the de-carbonisation path