The Italian government has announced a new package of measures, the DL Energia decree, to reduce the energy bills of Italian households and businesses.
The new regulations include simplifying the installation approval process for commercial rooftop solar PV systems with an installed capacity between 50kW and 200kW as much as possible. In Italy, these systems can be applied to the national net metering scheme called "Scambio sul posto".
From May, businesses will be allowed to start deploying rooftop solar arrays using only one application form. This so-called "Modello Unico Semplificato" form is often used for common building maintenance projects. Previously this process was only available to owners of PV systems with an installed capacity of up to 50kW.
The Italian government has also decided to allocate 267 million euros ($294 million) to help small and medium-sized enterprises deploy photovoltaic systems for their own use. The funds will be used in tax rebates to help businesses pay for part of the cost of buying and installing solar arrays.
Businesses operating in southern Italy's regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, Sardinia and Sicily will also enjoy financial incentives. These incentives will be offered to companies that decide to reduce their energy bills by investing in solar energy or energy efficiency.