Enel, in 2022 the connections to green plants more than doubled

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The race to install photovoltaic systems in Italy is gaining more and more speed. Probably also due to the energy crisis and the desire to reduce the weight of the bill. The fact is that in 2022 the connections of green systems to the distribution network more than doubled: an increase of 2.5 times, with an absolute value of 204,000 connections requested over the course of last year. This is announced by Enel Grids, the grid division of the Enel group. During 2022, 2.4 gigawatts of installed power were connected, of which “approximately 2 gigawatts deriving from solar photovoltaic systems, corresponding to the installation of over 6 million standard solar panels”, explains the release.

57% of connections in Northern Italy.

Surprisingly, 57% of these connections occurred in the northern regions, where in theory there is less insolation than in other regions and therefore the installation of panels could be less widespread. But no, the awareness of the convenience of switching to green self-production and consumption systems is now starting to take root. 20% of the connections took place in central Italy, 14% (therefore the lower percentage) took place in the South while 9% in the islands. Data that should make us reflect on the idea that a green energy hub in Italy makes sense in the south. «Technical companies handled 87% of connection requests on behalf of end customers, thus enhancing the value chains of local businesses. With the record additions of 2022, the total number of prosumers and producers connected to the Enel network in Italy now amounts to around 1.2 million, for a total capacity of over 34 gigawatts. 411,000 connections were made, for a total of 5.6 gigawatts of installed capacity. About 317,000 are in Europe and the rest in Latin America.

In the world 1.4 million connections, a record of 5.6 gigawatts

In Spain, Enel Grids connected 2.2 gigawatts of capacity thanks to 97,000 new connections in 2022 (over 3 times more than in 2021), up to a total of around 134,000, corresponding to a total capacity of 24.4 gigawatts. Among the regions served by Enel Grids, Extremadura, Andalusia and Catalonia installed a total of 80% of the total power, while the remainder was divided between Aragon and the Balearic and Canary Islands. In any case, a record threshold of connections to Enel’s networks was reached in 2022 of almost 5.6 gigawatts of new renewable capacity relating to around 411,000 producers and prosumers worldwide, of which around 317,000 in Europe and the rest in Latin America . At the end of 2022, the cumulative small and medium-scale renewable capacity connected to Enel Grids networks worldwide reached 65.7 gigawatts, coming from a total of approximately 1.4 million producers and prosumers. These results were achieved thanks to the growing capacity to accommodate distributed renewable generation (hosting capacity) and the high level of digitization of the distribution networks managed by Enel.

Cammisecra: more citizens self-produce green energy

“Electricity grids are fundamental in the current energy scenario, characterized by growing and increasingly decentralized renewable generation and the increasingly active role of consumers, as evidenced by the record number of producers and prosumers connected to the Enel group’s networks in 2022 – he declared Antonio Cammisecra, director of Enel Grids. – This unprecedented ‘bottom up’ energy transition is made possible by the large number of citizens using natural resources to self-produce renewable energy. We expect increasingly higher volumes for 2023 and beyond, as demonstrated by the constant growth of requests received in the first weeks of the year. Enel Grids continues to pursue service improvements to smooth customers’ electrification journey, providing the grid connection needed to support their energy independence while promoting a more interactive electricity ecosystem, as well as new opportunities in terms of business.”