Italy

The Italian market saw a year-on-year increase in new installations as several unsubsidized solar parks came online. Most of last year’s new capacity arrived in November and December. The regions with largest volumes were big-solar magnets Apulia and Sardinia.

In a recent conversation with pv magazine, Virginia Canazza, the CEO of Italian consultancy REF-E, outlined future scenarios for PV in the Italian PPA market. Projects will be delayed, as prices for gas and CO2 certificates are already low. Unsubsidized PV projects via PPAs might still be bankable, but it is unlikely that investors will risk dealing with small margins. Current capture prices do not justify investments and new entrants may wait for market stability.

Chinese-Canadian module manufacturer Canadian Solar and Italy’s Manni Energy have sold five PV plants with a total generation capacity of 17 MW to Dutch independent power producer Sonnedix. The Sicilian projects are among Italy’s first operational unsubsidized PV facilities.

Despite the country’s difficult struggle with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Italian solar market is sending some encouraging signs. Italian lender Intesa San Paolo has awarded a €55 million credit facility to Canadian Solar for a portfolio of 12 unsubsidized solar projects.

Rebates are being offered to homeowners and businesses willing to couple small solar systems with energy storage.

The alleged resale in developing countries of solar modules sent for end-of-life recycling in Sicily could have an important lesson for the PV industry: select reliable recycling entities to avoid potential trouble further down the line. The PV industry should also avoid another potential risk, that of the illegal disposal of PV waste outside the EU.

New measures introduced by the government allow households, businesses and public entities to produce and trade clean electricity in low-voltage grids. The new framework is open to power projects with a generation capacity no larger than 200 kW.

Only one 5 MW solar project was selected in the 500 MW auction, while wind project developers secured the remaining 495 MW. Final price for the selected solar park was €60/MWh.

The transaction has been approved by AGCM, Italy’s antitrust authority. Prior to acquiring Evolvere – which recorded a turnover of more than €30 million in 2018 – Eni has mainly specialized in the construction of large-scale solar plants, rather than residential and commercial PV projects.

The government has abrogated a controversial measure introduced last year which favored big developers in the allocation of fiscal incentives for rooftop projects linked to building renovation.