How could benefit you on installing solar panels/photovoltaic systems in Italy?
Italy speeds up approval of solar projects up to 200kW, allocates €267m for rebates
As utility bills rise, more home and business owners in Italy are looking at installing solar panels as a possible way to reduce costs in the long term.
Italy has some of the highest solar radiation in the EU. Its government can significantly reduce energy costs of its citizens by facilitating deployment and utilisation of this source of energy. Increasing investments in renewables can also generate much needed jobs for its economy, especially in rural areas and the South.
The Italian government has introduced new regulations in the DL Energia decree to reduce energy bills for homes and businesses. Italian companies will be able to receive rebates for projects and several regions in the south have also received financial relief for rooftop photovoltaics and energy efficiency.
The Italian government has announced a new package of measures, the DL Energia decree, in order to reduce the energy bills of Italian households and businesses.
The new regulations include the simplest possible approval procedures for the installation of commercial rooftop photovoltaic systems with an installed capacity of between 50kW and 200kW. In Italy, these systems can be subject to the national net metering scheme known as "Scambio sul posto".
From May, companies will be allowed to use only one application form to start deploying rooftop solar arrays. This so-called "Modello Unico Semplificato" form is usually used for general building maintenance projects. Previously this process was only available to owners of PV systems with an installed capacity of up to 50kW.
The Italian government has also decided to allocate 267 million euros ($294 million) to help small and medium-sized enterprises deploy photovoltaic systems for their own use. The funds will be used for tax rebates to help companies cover part of the cost of purchasing and installing solar arrays.
Reddito energetico (energy income), newly introduced in 2022, offers a bonus of up to €8,500 to households with an annual income of less than €20,000 for the installation of photovoltaic, solar thermal or micro wind energy systems in their homes.
The bonus is available to residents with EU citizenship or, if you are a non-EU citizen, you can still receive the bonus if you have lived in a municipality in the Puglia region for at least one year.
The annual income of €20,000 refers to a household's ISEE - an indicator of household wealth calculated on the basis of income and other factors.
The Tuscany region is offering incentives for residents to install solar panels in the form of tax breaks spread over several years.
Permissible works include the installation of winter and summer air conditioning and hot water systems using renewable energy sources. This includes heat pumps, solar panels or high-efficiency biomass boilers.
Fiscal incentives will also be available for businesses operating in the southern Italian regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily. These incentives will be offered to companies that decide to reduce their energy bills by investing in solar energy or energy efficiency.
Each region may have its own solar panel bonus in the form of grants or tax credits available to private residents and/or businesses.