Italian energy management agency Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) has received 273 expressions of interest for a combined capacity of 3,161MW for its latest solar auction, ahead of its launch this month.
This auction is the second to be held under the transitional FER X decree, and follows a first auction that attracted 10GW of solar capacity applications. While this has indicated significant growth in interest in the Italian solar sector – the previous auction held prior to the implementation of the FER X decree saw just 321.6MW of solar capacity awarded – concerns remain about these projects’ reliance on overseas supply chains, particularly those from China.
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This latter auction, which will be open for bids all of October (in Italian), is based explicitly on the provisions of the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which aims to support the establishment of a renewable energy manufacturing sector in Europe, and reduce Europe’s reliance on products and components made in China.
The receipt of so many expressions of interest, for such a large capacity, is a positive development for those keen to establish a robust solar supply chain in Europe. The second auction aims to award 900MW of capacity, with a maximum of 1.6GW, meaning it has received a twofold interest.
Europe has sought to expand its manufacturing sector in recent years, and Enel Green Power’s 3SUN gigafactory leads manufacturing in Italy. The facility set a record for tandem perovskite silicon cell efficiency in January of this year. Last week, a report from Fraunhofer ISE and SolarPower Europe concluded that the EU’s annual module manufacturing target of 30GW is feasible, provided the sector is supported by “the right policies”, according to SolarPower Europe CEO Walburga Hemetsberger.
