Italy

Around 60% of the newly installed capacity comes from residential installations, a sign that the market is still being driven by the rooftop business, despite new developments in the large-scale and private PPA segments.

The Italian solar plant operator has decided to re-enter the Italian PV market, as costs for large-scale solar are now under €1 million/MW and conditions for unsubsidized projects are improving. Overall, it plans to invest around €800 million in solar in the two southern European countries over the next five years.

The French energy giant will sell electricity under a five year PPA to the four Italian facilities of Austria headquartered brick and roof tile manufacturer, Weinerberger.

Last year’s figures, however, still do not include new capacity coming from the revamping and repowering business. For 2018, local renewable energy association, ANIE Rinnovabili expects growth to be stronger.

In a short conversation with pv magazine, the CEO of Italy-based consultancy, Prothea Srl has provided more details on the 500 MW Italian pipeline of market parity PV projects, which it has jointly announced with Limes RE.

Through the operation, the fund bought 35 solar facilities located in the southern Italian regions of Apulia and Sicily, and in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna.

New additions for the first 10 months of this year totaled 352 MW, representing 12% growth compared to the same period a year earlier, and enough solar to meet 8.7% of total power demand.

According to a report from Italy’s GSE, solar power prices on the Italian wholesale electricity market last year were between 5% and 12% lower than the national reference price.

The Italian government-run energy agency, GSE has made it clear that the so-called “Tremonti ambientale” fiscal incentive can only be combined with the incentives of the first two Conto Energia programs.

The Italian government has planned to phase out coal power production by 2025, and has set a 2030 renewable energy target of 27%.