The announcement comes from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry. The new upcoming “Parco Agrisolare” call for applications will have a budget of 250 million euros and will be published by December.
This initiative, which is part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), aims to transform the Italian agricultural sector through the adoption of photovoltaic systems, representing a significant step toward energy sustainability and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Details of the Call
To date, the “Parco Agrisolare” call has anticipated its original goal by six months, allocating 1.5 billion euros to fund over 15,000 agricultural and processing companies. The allocated resources will allow the installation of photovoltaic systems on the roofs of production buildings, thus contributing to the decarbonization of the sector and improving energy efficiency.
The success of this measure enabled the Ministry to secure an additional 850 million euros from the European Commission, bringing the total funding to 2.35 billion euros. These additional funds will finance more businesses by the end of the year and launch a new call for the Southern regions, with a budget of 250 million euros.
Modifications and Improvements
Minister Francesco Lollobrigida emphasized that the new call represents a significant evolution from the 2022 one, which did not attract much interest from sector operators. Thanks to listening to the needs of farmers and industry associations, crucial modifications have been made, including:
- Increase of the non-repayable contribution, now up to 80% of the eligible expenses.
- Doubling of the installable power of the systems.
- Introduction of shared self-consumption.
- Removal of the self-consumption constraint in some cases.
These changes have tripled the program’s final goal in terms of installed power, reaching 1.38 GW. Over 3,000 companies have already completed their investments, and half of them have received the balance of their contribution. Another 4,000 have started work, showing the effectiveness of the new approach.
Benefits of Agrisolare
Agrisolare represents a valuable resource for the Italian agricultural and livestock sector, allowing the combination of agricultural production with the generation of energy from renewable sources. This system allows:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Diversifying income sources for farmers.
- Improving energy efficiency and the competitiveness of agricultural structures.
- Promoting the conservation of natural resources.
Installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of production buildings eliminates the need to use additional agricultural land.
Complementary Interventions
In addition to the installation of photovoltaic panels, the call provides for the possibility of carrying out complementary interventions, such as removing asbestos from roofs, thermal insulation, and creating ventilation systems for animal welfare. For these interventions, the decree sets a spending limit of 1,500 euros/kWp for the photovoltaic system alone, with an additional 1,000 euros/kWh for energy storage systems. Moreover, for the installation of electric vehicle charging devices for sustainable mobility and agricultural machinery, an additional expense of up to a maximum of 30,000 euros is provided.
Who Can Apply
The decree specifies the eligible beneficiaries for funding, including:
- Agricultural entrepreneurs, both individual and corporate.
- Agro-industrial companies with an ATECO code listed in the Public Notice.
- Agricultural cooperatives engaged in cultivation, forestry, livestock farming, and related activities.
- Temporary associations of companies (A.T.I.), temporary business groups (R.T.I.), business networks, and renewable energy communities (CER).
The new “Parco Agrisolare” call represents a concrete opportunity for Italian agricultural businesses to access significant funding, implementing sustainable energy solutions that will contribute to the progress of the agricultural sector and environmental protection. With these resources, Italy positions itself as a leader in promoting renewable energy in the agricultural sector, demonstrating that productivity and sustainability can be combined.
Ciesse has already initiated several practices and successfully completed various Agrisolare projects. For more information and to receive complete 360-degree support, from starting the process to the creation and design of the project, call 0931 512235 or write to info@csgroupsrl.com