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Photovoltaics
The new Italian “Conto Energia” system offers incentives for the production of electricity from solar energy and has laid the foundations for the creation of the photovoltaic market in Italy. The national non-binding objective is to reach 3,000 MW by 2016. Photovoltaic modules currently represent an interesting opportunity for private companies and public administrations planning their energy production over the medium to long term. Within medium- to long-term contracts (15-20 years), i.e. in the field of renovations and new construction, photovoltaic technology has considerable advantages:
- electrical energy produced with no on-site emission of polluting gases
- savings on fossil fuels
- high compatibility with architectural and environmental requirements (ease of integration/installation on any kind of structure, limited visual impact)
- serves as an “energy price stabilizer”: with the currently available technology, a photovoltaic plant generally pays for itself in 7 to 9 years, a very important factor particularly bearing in mind the rising prices that characterize the current energy market
By the end of 2008, Olicar will have installed a total of 1 MW of photovoltaics in Italy, of which almost 800 kWp are divided between various public buildings in the Province of Foggia (16 plants of around 48 kWp each). The company guarantees expert installation, in accordance with all current rules and regulations, and a high quality and competitive costing thanks to careful supplier selection. Additionally, unlike many traditional installers, as an ESCO Olicar has no interest in guiding the client towards any specific solution or technology, guaranteeing maximum transparency and trustworthiness at all times.
Rates
Electrical energy produced by photovoltaic plants that have begun operation after 13 April 2007 (the publication date of AEEG resolution n. 90/07) and before 31 December 2008 are entitled to the incentive rates listed in the following table.
The rates are paid out for a period of 20 years from the date the plant begins operations, and are fixed for that whole period (i.e. they are not updated based on data from ISTAT, the Italian statistical institute). For plants that begin operations between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010, the values indicated in the table above will be reduced by 2% for each calendar year following 2008, while still remaining fixed for the 20 years during which the incentive is provided. The Italian ministries for the Environment and Economic Development will issue successive rulings to set the incentive rates for plants that begin their operations after 2010 (source: GSE).
In addition to the incentive, whoever is responsible for the plant can also count on further economic advantages, using the energy produced:
- to sell to the grid
- for their own consumption (partial or total, with a subsequent reduction in the bill)
- for net metering with the electricity provider (only for plants below 20 kW capacity)
A photovoltaic plant allows solar energy to be transformed into direct-current electrical energy thanks to semiconductor materials (silicon is the most commonly used at present). The performance of a photovoltaic cell is directly proportional to the amount of light (or radiation) and also varies slightly based on the temperature (for crystalline silicon the voltage is reduced by 4% for every 10°C rise in temperature). A photovoltaic system is made up of:
- photovoltaic modules or panels
- a support to hold the modules on the ground, a building or some other type of structure
- inverters
- electrical boards, connection cables and utility spaces for housing the equipment
