Italy

Specific allocation for energy communities

The various different Regional Operational Programs explicitly mention RECs and allocate specific budget to promote and support the setup of new RECs.

Definition of energy communities in line with EU legislation

The definition of energy communities that are eligible under the Italian Regional Programmes, is in line with EU legislation. The reference to the definition of RECs is included in the Legislative Decree 199/2021 (article 31), which is in line with the REDII definition.

Proportionality of share of total fund allocated to energy communities

It is difficult to fully assess this at present, since funds which will be allocated for CAPEX investments have not yet been defined.

Availability of tailored financing tools

Currently, existing financing tools are in the form of non refundable grants, which cover only the feasibility studies and some preliminary activities. Specific financing tools to cover CAPEX investments are not yet defined, awaiting for the final implementation of the REDII Directive, which should also provide guidelines on potential combinations of financing tools and/or eligibility.

Link between energy communities, building renovation and energy efficiency

According to the provisions included in Legislative Decree 199/2021 (article 31), RECs can: produce, share, store and sell renewable electricity, produce and share other forms of renewable energy (e.g. thermal energy), promote energy efficiency and home automation interventions, offer EVs charging services to their members and offer ancillary and flexibility grid services. Building renovation is not explicitly mentioned, even if in principle some building renovation interventions could be included in the "energy efficiency" measures category. Nonetheless, the current legislative framework provides workable provisions only for electricity production, sharing, storage and selling, while specific regulation for the other activities have not been yet implemented in the legislation.

Recognition of energy communities under multiple objectives

Energy communities are recognised under multiple objectives in the Italian Regional Operational Programs. For example, energy communities that include vulnerable consumers or tackle energy poverty are awarded extra points in public tenders. Energy communities are also identified as a strategic tool to support rural areas & small Municipalities.

Holistic strategy to provide financing across different levels of project development

Although the strategy differs from Region to Region, holistic support is provided to energy communities across different stages of project development. Specifically, funds are provided for capacity building, legal, technical and administrative support, as well as project development.

Emilia Romagna stands out for its multifaceted support: To promote the development of RECs, ART-ER and the Emilia-Romagna Region published a series of Notebooks on the Ecological Transition. They can be downloaded from the regional dedicate website for free. The first Renewable Energy Communities Notebook is produced in collaboration with the Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development (AESS), with the aim of providing the first regulatory, technical and managerial information necessary to understand how REC’s work and how they can be financed. The second notebook analyses the different legal forms that an energy community can choose on the basis of current legislation. Although a careful analysis of the specifics of each individual case is always needed, all the models described in the notebook are described in their essential elements, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses. The third notebook, entitled "The participation of public entities in renewable energy communities", provides information on the role of local authorities in CER by investigating issues related to public influence or control, the application of public evidence rules, and possible strategies research participants and the requirements necessary for the successful outcome of the preliminary legal assessment.

Transparency of the design and communication of the schemes and measures

With variety from Region to Region, the schemes' different requirements are not always easy to be interpreted and compared, but information sessions were organised and services to receive clarifications and support were generally made available.

Selection criteria and the prioritisation of various social components

Even though they differ from Region to Region, the selection criteria to qualify for funding are overall satisfactory, prioritising various social components. For example, in some cases funds are allocated only to initiatives promoted by Local administrations (e.g. Lombardia Region), in other cases funds are allocated only to municipalities with less than 5.000 inhabitants (e.g. Campania Region). In other cases, only to initiatives that involve a minimum number of vulnerable consumers (e.g. Sicilia Region). Where a ranking list is envisaged, social and/or environmental criteria are applied to score the proposals.

Decentralised tender process

The process of disbursing funds from the Regional Operational Programmes is decentralised. Regions are responsible for their own territorial initiatives.

Existence of procedures to facilitate the participation of energy communities in open calls

There are procedures in place to facilitate the access of energy communities to available funds. For example The Lazio Region signed an agreement with the Engineering Department of the Sapienza University of Rome to organise information sessions and offer capacity building and technical advice. Another example is the one of Veneto Region, that made an agreement with Provinces to implement information and training activities and setup an information desk at the local level.

Inclusion of energy communities in national REPowerEU chapter

This information is not available yet.