Italy Achieves 40GW Solar Milestone: A Deep Dive into the Growth of Large-Scale and Rooftop PV Systems

Italy Surpasses 40GW Solar Milestone with Strong Growth in Large-Scale and Rooftop PV

Italy’s solar energy sector continues to expand significantly, with total installed capacity now exceeding 40 gigawatts (GW). More than 2 million solar power systems are currently in operation across the country, covering large-scale ground-mounted projects, commercial and industrial (C&I) installations, and residential rooftops.

As of 2025, Italy has added 3.35GW of new solar capacity from 132,276 newly installed systems. While impressive, this marks a slight slowdown compared to the 6.8GW installed throughout 2024.

A shift in market dynamics appears to be underway. Following the end of the “Superbonus” incentive scheme for residential solar, the balance between large-scale and small-scale solar has tilted more toward utility-sized projects. This trend continues in 2025—Italia Solare reports that the residential segment added an average of 88MW per month in the first half of the year. At this pace, Italy is expected to add just over 1GW of residential solar in 2025, down from 1.78GW in 2024 and 2.25GW in 2023.

Between 2023 and 2024, residential solar growth declined by 21%, while large-scale solar installations saw a remarkable 163% year-on-year increase. Despite the recent slowdown, monthly residential installation rates are still four times higher than they were before the Superbonus was introduced—a sign that underlying demand remains strong.

“Solar power is no longer a niche option but a fundamental part of our national energy infrastructure,” said Paolo Rocco Viscontini, President of Italia Solare.

“It is time to accelerate support for mechanisms that encourage self-consumption and energy storage, overcome bureaucratic and legislative delays, and ensure long-term stability and low energy prices for the country through clean technology,” he added.

Regional Leaders in Solar Deployment

Unsurprisingly, sunnier regions tend to have higher solar capacity. Puglia, for example—home to Bari, the city with the most annual sunshine hours in Italy—has nearly 4GW of installed solar.

However, Italia Solare also highlighted that much of Italy’s solar capacity is concentrated in densely populated areas, reflecting higher electricity demand. Lombardy, the most populous region with over 10 million people, leads with more than 5.4GW of installed solar capacity.

Similarly, Lazio and Campania—each with populations exceeding 5 million—rank among the top regions with cumulative solar capacities of 3.8GW and 1.7GW, respectively.

Growing Pipeline of New Projects

Interest in developing new solar projects remains high. In a recent government auction held in July, more than 1,300 bids were submitted for approximately 17.5GW of new solar capacity. The government plans to award up to 8GW—far exceeding the capacity granted in previous auctions, which allocated 278.5MW and 321.6MW.

This strong response signals robust investor confidence and sets the stage for continued growth in Italian solar energy in the years to come.