Green projects to speed up as Italy attempts to cut red tape

LONDON (ICIS)–Large-scale renewable infrastructure projects may find it easier to gain approval if a law to simplify the process is approved by the country’s legislature over the upcoming days.

The bill, which addresses the structural issue of lengthy processes in a bid to unlock new investments, was adopted by the Italian government on 7 July, but needs further legislative backing to enter into force.

The law could be key in helping green projects regain momentum, as the installation of wind and solar farms has suffered from coronavirus-induced delays, as well as slow and non-standardised permit procedures.

One of the main changes envisaged by the bill would be streamlining the environmental impact assessment, which can take up to five years with the current legal framework.

Lengthy permitting procedures have long been held up by Italy’s renewable industry associations as the biggest obstacle to the sector’s growth.

“Some of our requests have been taken on board in the Simplification decree,” said Davide Astiaso Garcia, secretary general at the wind power association ANEV. “But there is still a long way to go in order to meet the targets of installed capacity established by the government in the National Climate and Energy Plan (NECP) .”

As for wind capacity, earlier this year Italy set a target for 18.4GW of onshore wind and 0.9GW of offshore wind by 2030.

Yet, burdensome permit requirements have significantly slowed down a 30MW offshore project in Taranto, while a recently proposed 300MW offshore project has stalled as authorities face off over their differing opinions on its environmental impact.

With only 30MW of offshore wind capacity fully authorised at this stage, it seems highly unlikely that the country will reach 0.9GW by 2030.

“Streamlining authorization processes is [an essential condition] if we want to reach the NECP objectives, “ Astiaso Garcia told ICIS.

“But it necessarily needs to be accompanied by further initiatives ensuring transparency.”

“I am confident that, once this will be done, Italy will be able to catch-up with the delay and eventually meet the ten-year objectives,” he concluded.

The package is also to be approved during the EU Council on the recovery fund scheduled for 17-18 July.

by Federica Di Sario