Italy simplifies rules for PV storage

Source: pv-magazine.com

Italy’s energy agency Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) has published new technical rules for the integration of storage systems combined with solar and renewable energy power generators.

The GSE said the old rules needed to be changed to comply with new versions of the norms CEI 0-16 and CEI 0-21 and with the new rules for the technological improvement of existing PV installations, which were issued in mid-March. The agency expects this simplified regulation will further support development of storage and distributed generation across the country.

The new regulation includes, among other things, the elimination of the compulsory notice of start of works for installing a storage system, a simplified bureaucratic procedure for those PV system owners that want to take advantage of the “Ritiro dedicato”, a regulatory system that enables the sale of a PV system’s power output on the free market by the GSE.

The rules also include provisions for the grid-connection of the storage systems, and on how to maintain incentives under the FIT scheme Conto Energia, net metering (Scambio sul posto) and Ritiro dedicato.

GSE’s new rules for the technological improvement of existing PV installations (revamping and repowering) is also expected to spur growth in the Italian PV sector, as these allow a 5% capacity increase for PV installations up to 20 kW and of 1% for PV systems with a capacity over 20 kW, with the additional capacity having access to the FIT scheme. For repowering interventions that will exceed these limits, a kind of intervention that was also allowed and encouraged by the GSE in the new regulation, there will be no access to the FIT program, but there will be the chance to take advantage of the “Ritiro dedicato”, a regulatory system that enables the sale of a PV system’s power output on the free market by the GSE.