Anie: Renewables slow down by 14% in the first quarter
The renewable energy market in Italy slows down in the first quarter of 2025, recording a 14% decline compared to the same period of the previous year. The decline in photovoltaics weighs the most, recording a 19% decrease. The analysis of the different market segments shows a clear reduction in installations in the residential sector (-39%) and in C&I (-30%). In contrast , large installations continue to grow : those between 1 and 10 MW increase by 4%; while those over 10 MW record an increase of 28%.
These are the data that emerge from the Fer Observatory created by Anie Rinnovabili , an association of Anie Federazione , based on Terna data . In detail, in the first quarter of 2025 a total of 1,405 MW of new power from renewable sources were installed , divided as follows: 244 MW from photovoltaic; 152 MW from wind, 5 MW from hydroelectric and 3 MW from bioenergy. As of 31 March 2025, the total number of renewable plants installed in Italy is 78.05 GW , distributed across 1,948,673 plants.
If the current trend were to continue in the next quarters, Italy could add a further 6 GW installed during 2025, reaching the objectives of the DM Aree Idee of approximately 23 GW between January 2021 and December 2025. However, the target of 10 GW/year needed to reach the objectives of the Pniec for 2030 remains distant . The decline in photovoltaic is a cause for concern for reaching the targets set by the national energy strategy. A reversal of the trend is hoped for in the coming months.
As for wind power , growth is still strongly driven by utility scale plants , whose development is strictly linked to the progress of authorization processes. In March alone, 148 MW of the total 152 MW recorded in the first quarter were installed, thanks to the connection of 2 large plants located in Puglia , in the province of Foggia. Wind power thus recorded an increase of 48% compared to the first quarter of 2024. On the other hand, the hydroelectric and bioenergy markets remain substantially stable , two sectors which, according to the Pniec forecasts, are destined to a progressive reduction in installed capacity in the coming years. In detail: hydroelectric, with 5 MW installed, still shows a growth of 63% compared to the first quarter of 2024. Bioenergy, with 3 MW installed, recorded a decrease of 41% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period of last year.
In the first quarter of 2025 , energy production from renewable sources amounted to 25,836 TWh , recording a decrease of 8.6% compared to the same period of the previous year. Production is down for almost all sources, with the exception of photovoltaic, which instead records a growth of 14%. In detail: geothermal produced 1,309 TWh (-3% on Q1 2024), photovoltaic 7,012 TWh (+14% on Q1 2024); wind 6,075 TWh (-19% on Q1 2024), hydroelectric 8,176 TWh (-18% on Q1 2024) and bioenergy 3,263 TWh (-2% on Q1 2024).
In the first quarter of 2025 , Italy's energy demand amounted to 77,363 TWh , showing a slight decrease of 0.07% compared to the same period in 2024. Renewable sources covered 33% of the overall demand, down from 36% recorded in the first quarter of 2024. However, with the arrival of spring, this share is set to increase: as happened for the first time in 2024, it is likely that the 40% threshold will be exceeded again in the coming months.
New plant analysisPhotovoltaic. 1,244 MW of connected power reached in the first quarter of 2025 (-14% compared to the first quarter of 2024). A total of 55,721 plants were connected to the grid. The new power that entered into operation is made up of 27% plants with a power of less than 20 kW (52,856 plants installed), 29% plants with a power between 20 kW and 1 MW (2,784 plants installed), 19% plants with a power between 1 MW and 10 MW (72 plants installed) and the remaining 25% plants with a power greater than 10 MW (9 plants installed) distributed as follows: 6 plants for a total of 205 MW in Lazio, a 43 MW plant in Sardinia, a 63 MW plant in Puglia and a 10 MW plant in Sicily,
Wind . In the first quarter, 152 MW (+48% compared to the first quarter of 2024) of new power were installed. A total of 15 plants entered into operation. 97% of the new installed power is concentrated in 2 plants with a power greater than 10 MW, located in Puglia in the province of Foggia.
Hydroelectric. Hydroelectric performance is increasing with 5 MW of new connected power (+63% compared to the first quarter of 2024). A total of 11 plants have entered into operation, almost all with a power of less than 1 MW, with the exception of a 2.88 MW plant installed in the province of Aosta. The regions that contributed most to the installed power are: Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy and Calabria.
Bioenergy . The new installed capacity of bioenergy in the first quarter of 2025 was 3 MW (-41% compared to the same period in 2024). Overall, 10 plants entered into operation, all with a capacity of less than 1 MW. The regions that installed the most “significant” plants in terms of capacity are: Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany.
Electricity market analysisThe average Pun Index recorded on MGP , the most liquid market, in the first quarter of 2025 was equal to 137.6 [Euro/MWh], an increase of 50% compared to the Pun value in the first three months of 2024 (92 Euro/MWh). February was the worst month, where the Pun Index reached the value of 150.4 [Euro/MWh], an increase of 72% compared to February 2024.
Prices on the Balancing Market (MBR) also increased compared to the first quarter of 2024. In particular, the values on the Dispatching Service Market (MSD) peaked in February, with: drop-down offers of €114/MWh (+75% compared to February 2024), rise-up offers of €233/MWh (+55% compared to February 2024). The Balancing Market also recorded increases, which again culminated in February: drop-down offers of €87/MWh (+100% compared to February 2024), rise-up offers of €239/MWh (+53% compared to February 2024).
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