Authorizations boom for renewables in 2022: the real obstacle is bureaucracy

A record year for the green: around 4.7 GW of large-scale plants have been authorised, of which 4.3 GW from photovoltaics and the rest from onshore wind. More than it has received the green light in the previous three years

2022 was a record year for renewables. According to data released yesterday by Elements at Key Energy of Rimini, last year approximately 4.7 GW of large-scale plants were authorized (so-called utility scale), of which 4.3 GW from photovoltaics and the rest from onshore wind. More than it received the green light in the previous three years (3.7 GW). The most active regions in issuing solar permits are Sicily (31 percent of the total), Lazio (25 percent) and Sardinia (9 percent).. For wind power, Campania (39 percent), Puglia (26 percent) and Sicily (19 percent) are on the podium. Nationally, the Ministry of the Environment has given green light to 518 MW of solar energy, with 60 MW released by the Council of Ministers; as far as wind power is concerned, the national Vias are about 2 GW (of which 1.9 GW thanks to government intervention). However, still no photovoltaic project and only 72 MW of wind power have come into possession of the single authorisation, the document which is concretely necessary to start the works.