A decree by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security in Italy will make available €200 million for low-income families to install solar for self-consumption purposes. The decree will come into force once approved by the Court of Accounts.  

Families with an annual income of less than €15,000 and those with an annual income of less than €30,000 with at least 4 dependent children will be considered as beneficiaries for the fund.  

Solar power systems with a nominal power of at least 2 kW and not more than 6 kW will be admitted for capital grant under the decree. These can come up on rooftops and surfaces and areas that the beneficiary has legal ownership of.  

The funding will be dispersed between 2024 and 2025, mostly in the southern region of the country. At least 80% of proceeds will be available for the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily. 

“With this provision,” said Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto, “We are pursuing a double aim: the social one of supporting the most deprived groups and, at the same time, the environmental one, because we promote the use of renewable energy.  It is a new government response to implement real and equitable energy security.”  

Proceeds will be made available by Energy Reddito Fund operating under the Energy Services Manager (GSE). The fund’s capital can be increased with a voluntary payment by the central and state administrations as well as public organizations and non-profits.   

Italy is raising its renewable energy ambition to now aim for a 65% share in the national energy mix by 2030 under the revised National Energy and Climate Plan sent to the European Commission in July 2023 (see Italy Raising Renewable Energy Ambition).