Solar, slowdown in Italy in the first half of 2025

Photovoltaics, slowdown in Italy in the first half of 2025. According to Italia Solare's processing of Terna data, 113,465 new photovoltaic plants were connected from January to June, for a total capacity of 2,809 MW. This result is significantly lower than in the same period of 2024, with a drop of 33% in the number of plants and 16% in terms of installed power. Overall, at the end of June, 1,992,353 photovoltaic plants were connected in Italy, for a cumulative power of 39,885 MW.

The decline, which was already clearly evident in the first quarter data, was also confirmed in the second quarter of the year: new plants connected from April to June totalled 56,844, -25% compared to the same quarter of 2024 (75,629), for an additional capacity of 1,377 MW, -17% compared to the same period last year (1,651 MW).

The numbers confirm the trend at European level, according to SolarPower Europe's half-yearly report, which shows a slowdown due in particular to a decline in the residential segment, following the easing of the energy crisis and the gradual end of related incentives in key markets such as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands. The European utility-scale photovoltaic market, on the other hand, is proving to be relatively resilient and is driven by public auctions in various European countries promoting flexible projects combined with storage systems or wind power plants.

"The data from the first half of the year clearly show that the expansion phase of residential photovoltaics has come to a halt. The drop of more than 30% in the number of installations cannot be ignored: it is a symptom of a phase of regulatory uncertainty and a slowdown in investments, especially for families and SMEs," comments Paolo Rocco Viscontini, president of Italia Solare: "The good news is that the utility scale segment continues to grow, but on its own it is not enough. We need a structural strategy: stable deductions, simplified connections and clear rules for the development of self-consumption plants and energy communities. We cannot afford to lose momentum just as the energy transition enters its most critical phase'.

Looking at the size of the systems, the slowdown can clearly be seen: in the segment of those with a capacity of less than 20 kW (domestic sector), 106,562 systems were installed for a total of 686 MW: this is a drop of 31% compared to the first half of 2024. The 20 kW - 1 MW segment (commercial and industrial sector) also showed a significant decrease: 804 MW were installed, representing a 32% drop compared to the same period last year. The exception is the segment of utility scale plants, i.e. those larger than 1 MW, where a 12% year-on-year growth was observed: in the first six months of 2025, 307 plants were connected, with a total capacity of 1,319 MW.