Wind Energy in Italy
2022 wind energy numbers
In 2022, Italy installed 0.5 GW of new capacity, which is consistent with the growth rate of the previous year. The country also installed record-sized onshore wind turbines at 5.7 MW.
Additionally, the first 30 MW offshore wind farm, located in Taranto harbour, started production on the 21st of April 2022. Many offshore wind projects are currently at different authorisation stages, collectively totalling more than 100 GW. To facilitate their development, a new accelerated authorisation process for wind plants has been introduced. In addition to this, three neutral wind and PV auctions were held, with wind plants securing 28% of the total capacity. Following the election of the new Government in October 2022, the Ministry for Ecological Transition was renamed the Ministry for Environmental and Energy Security. Furthermore, the renewable targets for 2030, set by the National Integrated Climate and Energy Plan, are under review, and a significant increase in the offshore wind energy target is expected. Finally, the R&D outlook showed an increase in the number of national projects funded in 2022 through the National Fund for Electric System Research (RdS) and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRPP) supporting actions.
To learn more about Italy’s wind energy sector, please review their chapter in the IEA Wind TCP 2022 Annual Report.
National Targets
Published in December 2019, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Action Plan (NIECAP) established a target of deriving 30% of overall annual energy consumption from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) by 2030. In this framework, wind energy is projected to constitute a total installed capacity of 19.3 GW (including 0.9 GW offshore), producing 41.5 TWh per year. This goal includes revamping and repowering initiatives. In 2022, the actuation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) started. Initially published in 2021, the plans outline future updates of the objectives of the NIECAP, hereby assisting the “Next Generation EU” actions.
Progress & Operational Details
According to the National Wind Energy Association (ANEV), Italy installed a new net wind power capacity of 459 MW in 2022, including the first offshore capacity, consisting of 30 MW at Beleolico Park. This brings the cumulative installed capacity at the end of 2022 to 11.5 GW, including decommissioning and repowering. The trend of annual and cumulative capacity between the years 2010- 2022 is depicted in Figure 1. Around 300 MW of small wind plants (plant size lower than 200 KW) should be added to the cumulated capacity.
National RDD Priorities and Budget
The NIECAP outlines the national energy system priorities for 2030-2050, emphasising the importance of RES contribution to the energy mix. Furthermore, emphasising specific capabilities of offshore wind R&D tailored to Mediterranean conditions. Additionally, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRPP), published in 2021, supports innovative offshore integrated RES technology research efforts, including wind. In 2022, it began to produce its first tangible results. In 2022, an increase in the number of funded national projects on wind energy topics was observed. Specifically, the two major pillars supporting research are the “National Fund for Electric System Research” (RdS) and the NRPP.