Italia Solare has submitted its official observations to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) regarding the proposed legislation aimed at resolving the critical issue of "virtual saturation" of the electricity grid. While welcoming the government’s initiative, the association stresses the urgent need for a more ambitious and structural reform that prioritizes the most beneficial projects in of energy cost reduction and grid reliability. 6c1n1

“We the general approach of the MASE proposal,” said Paolo Rocco Viscontini, President of Italia Solare. “However, we believe the authorization process must be updated to prioritize projects based on merit, particularly those involving self-consumption and storage systems.”

Among the key proposals presented by Italia Solare:

• Scope and transparency: The association urges that the development of distribution networks—crucial for self-consumption—and the need for grid flexibility and resilience be given priority in determining the capacity that can be integrated into the transmission network (Terna). It also recommends that Terna publish a semi-annual calendar outlining available grid capacity by location.

• Priority to local consumption: Italia Solare advocates for changes in the Unified Renewable Energy Law to give precedence to self-consumption installations, especially those under 1 MW, and to systems equipped with energy storage. Priority should also be extended to projects that offer grid flexibility services and to those already authorized or at an advanced stage (e.g., with environmental impact assessments completed).

• Simplification and urgency: The association calls for the immediate implementation of flexible grid connections, as outlined in EU Directive 944/2019. In particular, it urges swift enforcement within TICA (the Unified Text for Grid Connections), enabling faster commissioning of new plants.

• Protection for ongoing investments: Projects that have secured FER X auction prices should retain their grid connection rights even if they are still awaiting full authorization, provided they have completed environmental assessments.

• Authorization and simplified procedures: Where connection infrastructure is authorized by entities other than Terna, Italia Solare emphasizes the need for equal access to simplified procedures. It also proposes allowing project developers to directly manage network infrastructure authorizations.

Finally, Italia Solare highlights the need to streamline the current fragmented permitting and environmental review processes across national and regional authorities, which it says lead to inefficiencies and delays incompatible with Italy’s decarbonization goals.

“We have submitted a series of specific amendments that would enhance the effectiveness of the proposal,” Viscontini concluded. “We are open to dialogue to further improve the measure and accelerate the energy transition.”