WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

4.3.5 Italy
European Small Hydropower Association, Stream Map
Key facts
Population 61,261,254
Area 301,340 km 2
Climate
Topography
Rain
pattern
Predominantly Mediterranean;
Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Mostly rugged and mountainous;
some plains, coastal lowland
Mean annual rainfall varies from
about 500 mm on the southeast
coast and in Sicily and Sardinia, to
over 2,000 mm, in the Alps and on
some westerly slopes of the
Apennines. 1
Electricity sector overview
In 2011, more than 86 per cent of electricity
consumed in Italy was produced in the country
(288,900 GWh) and 13.7 per cent (45,700 GWh) were
imported (figure 1). 2
Geothermal 1.57%
Wind 2.89%
PV 3.16%
Imported Electricity 13.54%
Hydro 14.13%
Thermal
64.70%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Italy
Source: Terna 2
The Authority for Electricity and Gas (AEEG) in Italy
promotes the development of competition in the
power market (Law n. 481/1995). Terna was created
in 1999 as a separate company to own, develop and
maintain more than 90 per cent of the National
Electricity Transmission Network. Meanwhile
management of the grid was entrusted to a public
operator controlled by the Ministry of Finance called
GRTN or Gestore della Rete di Trasmissione Nazionale
(Independent System Operator Model). The electricity
market was fully liberalized in 2007. 3
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
In 2010, Italy had 2,427 small hydropower plants with
a total installed capacity of 2,735 MW (10,958 GWh)
in operation (figure 2). By 2020, the aim is to have
2,250 plants with a total installed capacity of 3,900
MW (12,077 GWh). 4
Small hydropower plants up to 1 MW, in particular,
are growing more than large hydropower plants
thanks to the incentive system enforced at present
which provides a comprehensive tariff of €220/MWh
(about US$293) for the first 15 years. Due to the delay
in the transposition and implementation of the EU
Water Framework Directive, its effects on the
production of small hydropower are not yet clear. The
river basin management plans were adopted only at
the end of February 2010.
SHP installed
capacity
SHP potential
2735 MW
7066 MW
0 2000 4000 6000 8000
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Italy
Source: European Small Hydropower Association 4 ,
Giudici 5
Renewable energy policy
According to the Italian National Renewable Energy
Action Plan (NREAP), its renewable energy target by
2020 is 17 per cent). 6 The Legislative Decree No.
387/2003 (implementation of the Renewable Energy
Directive) has introduced ‘single permit’, a one-stop
shop system for all renewable energy sources project
developers. The licence for the use of water is not
generally integrated in the authorization process.
Legislation on small hydropower
The Italian Environmental Law 152/06 identifies the
fields of application of reserved flow and the
allocation of competences. The River Basin Authorities
have to first identify the general criteria for reserved
flow definition (within the specific competence of
water balance planning). The Italian regions have the
regulatory competence; they introduce the reserved
flow regulation in the Water Protection Plans.
There are very different residual flow values, as there
is a wide range of methods of calculation suggested by
the River Basin Authorities (e.g. based on hydrological
and morphological parameters or environmental
conditions) and adopted by the Italian regions, so
residual flow values can be very different along the
same water body, going from one region to another.
Prior to 2013, hydro plants under 1 MW were
guaranteed a minimum tariff for their electricity
production, while plants 1-10 MW sold their energy at
the hourly zonal price. Starting January 2008, a
comprehensive feed-in tariff (electricity price plus
incentive), which has been set to 22 euro cents/kWh
applies to hydropower plants under 1 MW. This can
be chosen for 15 years instead of Green Certificates. A
new support scheme will come into force in January
2013.
Barriers to small hydropower development
Recommendations by Stream Map are as follows: 4
Stabilization of the incentive scheme: the
incentive system should be clearly set out and all
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