Renewable power generation overtakes fossil fuels in Italy for the first time

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
contour global project in italy
Italy added 3.3GW of new solar PV capacity in the first six months of 2024. Image: Contour Global.

For the first time in Italy, the production of electricity from renewable sources has overtaken fossil fuel generation, according to grid operator Terna.

Solar and wind production combined increased by 14.6% from H1 2023 to H1 2024, with renewable energy accounting for 43.8% of energy demand during the latter six-month period. This is an increase from H1 2023, when renewable energy covered 34.9% of energy demand. According to the Italian grid operator, numbers from H1 2024 were a record high for a half-year basis.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Although much of the growth in renewable energy generation came from hydropower overperforming, most of the added renewable energy capacity during the first six months of 2024 came from solar PV. Developers added 3.7GW of new renewable power capacity in H1 2024, 1GW more than in H1 2023, and solar PV accounted for 3.3GW.

At this rate, Italy is poised to improve on its already impressive performance in 2023, when it added more than 5.2GW of solar PV capacity. Solar PV’s installed capacity for H1 2024 has already surpassed all but two full years since 2010.

Numbers from trade association Italia Solare showed that the utility-scale sector had the biggest increase in Q1 2024, with a 373% increase from Q1 2023. During the first three months of the year, Italy added 1.7GW of solar PV.

After a long period of scarcely any solar PV capacity being installed in Italy between 2014 and 2021, the technology has been on the rise ever since and new capacity additions continue to grow year-on-year.

Moreover, the Italian grid operator recently unveiled its plan to invest €16.5 billion (US$17.9 billion) in the next five years to strengthen and expand the country’s transmission grid. The plan is intended to support Italy’s shift to a decentralised energy system as the volume of PV and other renewable energy sources coming online grows.

However, earlier in the year, the Italian government banned the installation of solar PV on agricultural land, a ban which contains some “contradictions” (Premium access), according to Ginevra Biadico, managing counsel at international law firm Dentons.

Read Next

July 8, 2025
Energy consultancy JMK Research has forecast 28.3GW of utility-scale and residential solar PV to be installed in India during fiscal year 2026.
Premium
July 8, 2025
In the latest NEM data spotlight, solar generation in Australia reached its yearly lowest month, while rooftop solar prices spiked to AU$225.57/MWh.
July 2, 2025
Asset management firm Capital Dynamics has secured €110 million (US$129.4 million) in financing for three solar PV projects in Spain.
July 2, 2025
Investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has begun commercial operations at a 373MW solar PV plant in the UK.
July 1, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has secured financing and reached financial close for its 220MW solar-plus-storage plant in Chile.
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK