Italy added 25% more energy storage systems in Q2

Italy had 650,007 grid-connected energy storage systems at the end of June 2024, according to Italia Solare, with a total 4.5 GW of rated power.

“During the first half of 2024, 126,916 storage systems were connected in Italy, with a total power of 1.05 GW and a capacity of 2.63 GWh,” wrote Italia Solare, commenting on data from TSO Terna.

The data show the number of storage systems rose by 24.6% during the first half of 2024 while their total rated power rose 30.4%, indicating systems are becoming larger.

Some 58%, or 1.55 GWh, of the energy storage capacity connected in the first half of 2024 “is attributable to storage facilities with a capacity of less than 50 kWh associated with photovoltaic systems,” wrote Italia Solare, adding, “Approximately 2% (48 MWh) is attributable to storage facilities with a capacity of more than 50 kWh associated with photovoltaic systems and, this is the novelty, 39% (1.04 GWh) is instead related to six standalone storage facilities of which 35% is attributable to a single 200 MW (805 MWh) system connected in Piacenza.”

Commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage systems still total only 108 MWh of capacity in Italy, said the trade body, but the segment is growing, with 44% (48 MWh) of that total connected in the first half of 2024.

The region of Lombardy, with 1,454 MWh of storage capacity, leads Italy for energy storage systems connected to photovoltaics. It is followed by Veneto, with 1,081 MWh; Emilia-Romagna, with 749 MWh; Lazio, with 577 MWh; and Piedmont, with 568 MWh. The connected capacity in those five regions accounts for more than 55% of the nation’s solar-connected storage.

Stationary, standalone storage systems feature in Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Umbria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, and Sardinia with the north of Italy featuring eight projects with a total of 1,456 MWh of capacity – 95% of the country’s standalone storage capacity.

Fabio Zanellini, co-coordinator of the Storage and Hydrogen Working Group of Italia Solare, said grid-supporting Fast Reserve storage facilities are being joined by sites commissioned under the grid capacity market auction held for the 2024 delivery year and such systems are gradually becoming operational on energy and dispatching services markets. He added, Italian grid network rules are being updated to better recognize the value of storage assets and to incorporate changes imposed by the European Union.

From pv magazine Italy.