Italy allocated funds for the development of rooftop photovoltaic systems

     Italy's wealthiest regions will continue to support solar system electric solar + energy storage devices in the form of subsidies, and relevant departments plan to provide about three times the funding this year.

     As the richest and most active region in Italy, the Lombardy Ministry of Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development announced an additional 20 million euro subsidy to promote the application of energy storage systems in residential and commercial photovoltaic arrays. Previously, the government allocated about 2-5 million euros for the plan each year.

     The plan will be oriented to two different projects, namely the installation of photovoltaic systems connected to energy storage systems, and the deployment of independent energy storage systems connected to existing solar arrays. For the first category of projects, subsidies will cover 50% of the procurement and installation costs. For projects developed in small cities, the proportion can be increased to 90%.

     For the second category of projects, subsidies will cover 100% of project costs, and “50% of approved subsidies will be paid in 2021,” said the relevant department in the region. The second phase subsidy is 30% of the total and is expected to be paid in 2022. "As long as the project is completed, the remaining part will be paid in 2022."

     The Lombard government currently only provides subsidies for electrochemical and mechanical energy storage technologies. The government only authorizes systems that are connected in accordance with local CEI 0-21 regulations.

     In 2016, the plan has a budget of 2 million euros, which is enough to support the installation of about 500 energy storage systems. In June 2017, the Italian Energy Agency Gestore dei Servizi Energetici issued new technical regulations for the integration of energy storage systems and solar energy and other renewable energy sources.