Solar energy

Solar power in Italy has increased rapidly in recent years with the country ranking among the world’s largest producers of electricity from solar power. Solar power accounted for 7% of the electricity generated in Italy during 2013 (ranked 1st in the world), a share that's expected to double by 2030.

As of April 2016 Italy had the worlds fifth largest installed solar PV capacity (behind 1. China 2. Germany. 3. Japan 4. USA and ahead of the 6. UK.) The years 2009-2013 saw a boom in installed photovoltaic nameplate capacity, increasing nearly 15-fold, and 2013's year-end capacity of 17,928 MW ranked third in the world, ahead of the United States at that time. This was partly due to the generous solar PV power generation incentives offered under the Conto Energia .

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The Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station is the largest photovoltaic power station in Italy, in Montalto di Castro in Viterbo province. The project was built in several phases. The first phase with a total capacity of 24 MW was connected in late 2009. The second phase (8 MW) was commissioned in 2010, and the third and fourth phases, totaling 44 MW, were completed in December 2010, bringing the total to 85 MW.

The final Conto 5 was introduced by ministerial decree in 2012 and it was announced that the feed in tariff would end once the total annual costs of cumulative Conto Energia reached €6.7 billion. This figure was reached in 2013 and the final Conto Energia scheme was ended on 6/7/2013. The final scheme resulted in a further 2,095 MW of installed capacity at a cost of €0.22 billion. Under the Conto Energia incentive scheme a total of 18,217 MW of installed solar PV power was added at annual cost of €6.7 billion.