Italy installed about one-third fewer solar PV generators in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. According to industry association Italia Solare, citing data from transmission system operator Terna, 113,465 new photovoltaic systems were connected to the grid between January and June 2025. These systems added 2,809 megawatts of capacity, marking a 16 percent decline in new solar capacity year-on-year. In total, 1,992,353 solar installations with a combined capacity of 39,885 megawatts are now operational across Italy.
The slowdown, evident in the first quarter, persisted into the second. Between April and June 2025, only 56,844 new systems were connected, representing a 25 percent drop compared to the second quarter of 2024, when 75,629 new solar systems came online. Newly installed capacity for the quarter totalled 1,377 megawatts, 17 percent below the figure for the same period last year.
Growth remains above pre-crisis levels
Despite the slowdown, monthly expansion has remained relatively steady, with new installations ranging from 487 megawatts in January to 635 megawatts in June. On average, 450 megawatts of new solar capacity were installed monthly. While this is below the record levels of 2024 – driven by the Superbonus scheme and the aftershocks of the energy crisis, which saw monthly peaks nearing 700 megawatts – growth remains above pre-Superbonus incentive levels.
Italy’s solar market is following a similar trend to the rest of Europe, with the decline primarily impacting the rooftop segment. According to Italia Solare, this is due to the easing of the energy crisis. The spike in electricity prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had driven strong demand for rooftop PV in Italy, but key support schemes for these systems have since expired.
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Uncertain regulations fuel investor hesitation
At the same time, the expansion of large-scale ground-mounted solar plants remains steady, driven primarily by national tenders. “Half-year figures make it clear: the expansion phase of the residential photovoltaic market has been interrupted,” says Rocco Viscontini, President of Italia Solare. “A drop of more than thirty percent in installations cannot be ignored. This is a symptom of regulatory uncertainty and a halt in investment, especially for families and small and medium-sized enterprises,” he warns.
“The good news: the market for large solar power plants continues to grow. But that alone is not enough. We need a sustainable strategy: stable tax incentives, streamlined grid connections, and clear rules for self-consumption projects and energy communities. We must not lose momentum – especially now, as the energy transition enters its most critical phase.”
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Thirty-one percent fewer residential rooftop system
The downturn has been particularly severe for providers of solar systems for residential and commercial buildings, each with capacities up to one megawatt. In the residential rooftop segment (systems up to 20 kilowatts) 106,562 installations were completed in the first half of the year, totalling 686 megawatts, a 31 percent drop compared to the previous year. In the commercial segment, which includes systems from 20 kilowatts to one megawatt, 804 megawatts were installed, marking a 32 percent year-on-year decline.
In contrast, the construction of large ground-mounted solar plants increased by 12 percent. During the first half of 2025, 307 such systems with a total capacity of 1,319 megawatts were newly connected to the grid. (su)
