Intelligence

Italy's renewable energy sector faces a critical transformation as new regulations address virtual grid saturation through the Open Season model, fundamentally altering how connection capacity is allocated and impacting M&A transaction valuations. The shift from sequential application processing to competitive authorization-based allocation introduces unprecedented uncertainty for developers and investors navigating grid access rights.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a landmark ruling clarifying whether the Bolkestein Directive applies to small hydroelectric plants that generate electricity. This decision addresses the critical question of how EU internal market rules interact with national concession regimes for exploiting natural water resources. The judgment has significant implications for the regulatory framework governing renewable energy production and the award of water diversion concessions across Member Sta

La Corte di Giustizia dell'Unione Europea ha stabilito che la Direttiva Bolkestein non si applica agli impianti di piccole derivazioni idroelettriche, poiché la produzione di energia elettrica costituisce un'attività di produzione di beni e non una prestazione di servizi. Questa sentenza chiarisce il quadro normativo applicabile alle concessioni di derivazione d'acqua e segna un importante cambio di rotta rispetto a precedenti interpretazioni dell'Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Merc

The final FER X Decree entered into force on August 7, 2026, introducing Italy’s long-term support framework for renewable energy technologies with generation costs close to market competitiveness. The regime covers solar photovoltaic (PV), onshore wind, hydropower, and sewage-gas projects until December 31, 2030, supporting up to 37.15 GW of capacity: 27.15 GW through indicative auction volumes and up to 10 GW through direct access for plants up to 1 MW.

On Feb. 18, 2026, the Italian Council of Ministers approved a new Law Decree introducing urgent measures to reduce energy costs and support industrial competitiveness. The Decree came into force on Feb. 21.

Law Decree No. 21 of 20 February 2026, so called Energy Bills Decree, entered into force on 21 February 2026, following its publication in the Official Gazette on 20 February 2026.