The Italian government is poised to enact a decree aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy projects, according to a draft decree revealed on Thursday. The regulation mandates regional authorities to pinpoint suitable areas for these projects within six months, establishing annual targets for each Italian region. The goal is to bolster the country's renewable power capacity by 80 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, building upon the infrastructure in place at the end of 2020.
Sicily emerges as a key player in this endeavor, tasked with adding nearly 10.5 GW of renewable power capacity by the decade's end, surpassing all other regions in Italy. Lombardy, housing the financial hub Milan, follows closely behind with plans to add 8.8 GW by 2030.
Once the final decree is officially issued, regions will have a six-month window to identify suitable areas for renewable energy projects. The decree also introduces a fast-track permit process for projects situated in these identified areas. However, it upholds a ban on installing solar panels on agricultural land, a decision that has drawn criticism from the Italian power industry.
The decree outlines a monitoring mechanism involving the energy ministry, along with national energy bodies GSE and RSE, to ensure that each region meets its annual targets. Moreover, the government reserves the right to intervene if a local government fails to pursue its designated annual goal.
