Agrivoltaic decree: the news for a growing sector

THEAgrivoltaic is ready to become one of the engines of the Italian energy transition. With the Agrivoltaic decree 2025, the sector gains flexibility over times and procedures, unlocking projects that were struggling to advance with the previous rules. It is a model that combines renewable energy production and valorization of agricultural land, with positive repercussions on landscape protection, climate resilience and farm profitability. The news concerns deadlines, penalties, technical requirements and the audience of beneficiaries.

Agrivoltaic: what it is and how does it work

Agrivoltaic integrates photovoltaic systems and agricultural or pastoral activity on the same surface. The objective is threefold: to self-produce energy from solar sources, to support agricultural production and to preserve the territory.

The most used technological solutions

• Overhead structures: the modules are installed higher than the ground to allow machines and cultivation activities to pass through.
• Tracker and adjustable modules: chasing the sun increases yield and, if necessary, leaves more light to crops at critical moments.
• Advanced monitoring: digital systems measure electricity production, soil moisture, microclimate, water savings and impacts on agricultural yields, so as to optimize the energy-agriculture combination.

Why is it a virtuous coexistence

Dedicated technologies make it possible to exploit the land most exposed to the sun without taking them away from agriculture. Partial shading can reduce water stress and improve some yields, while the energy produced contributes to climate objectives and business competitiveness. The technical requirements set by the GSE frame precisely this balance.

The news of the 2025 Agrivoltaic Decree

The Ministerial Decree of June 2025 has updated deadlines and operating rules of the previous regulatory framework for innovative agrivoltaic, with the aim of accelerating construction sites and ensuring a more realistic reporting of projects related to the PNRR.

More flexible deadlines

• 30 June 2026: it is no longer the date for entry into operation, but the deadline for completing the installation of the plants already in the ranking.
• Entry into operation: it must take place by 18 months from the completion of the installation.
• Expense reporting: companies will have time until October 31, 2026 to request the disbursement of capital contributions.

Reduced and more gradual penalties

If the entry into operation is delayed by more than 18 months, the incentive rate is subject to a 0.5% reduction for each month of delay, up to a maximum of nine months. Beyond this threshold, the right to incentives is lost. It is a less punitive mechanism than in the past, designed to manage critical supply chain issues and delays in permits.

Who can access the incentives

The legislation clearly defines the subjects allowed to participate in the procedures and to benefit from contributions.

Beneficiary requirements

• Agricultural entrepreneurs and agricultural enterprises, also in the form of companies, cooperatives or consortia.
• Temporary Business Associations (ATI), as long as they include at least one agricultural entity.
• Economic requirement: agricultural operators must have registered, in the year before the application, a Turnover equal to or greater than 7,000 euros.

The economic requirement aims to ensure the financial soundness of the applicants and the continuity of agricultural activities. The incentive system provides for a capital contribution of up to 40% of eligible costs, combined with a incentive rate on the energy fed into the grid.

The technical requirements of advanced agrivoltaic systems

To be included among the incentive projects, the plants must comply with specific requirements technical requirements established by the Energy Services Manager.

Three fundamental cornerstones

• Overhead structures that allow agricultural use and accessibility to the land.
• Monitoring systems for energy production and for the state of crops and soil.
• Minimum agricultural area: at least 70% of the total area must remain allocated to agricultural or pastoral activity.

Only systems that meet these conditions can be considered advanced agrivoltaic systems and access incentives. The goal is to prevent agrivoltaic from becoming a simple photovoltaic roof on agricultural land, while ensuring real integration between energy and agriculture.

How to prepare a competitive agrivoltaic project

To increase the chances of success, a project must be credible both from a technical and agronomic point of view. It's useful to:

• Prepare a detailed agronomic plan, consistent with the crops present;
• choose a overhead layout that allows continuous land use;
• plan monitoring tools and reporting to document environmental benefits;
• rely on partners with experience in managing AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS and in GSE procedures.

An opportunity even for small investors

Agrivoltaic energy is not only a prospect for farms and large energy operators. Even the Small savers can participate in the growth of the sector through collective investment models such as shared solar parks.

Projects such as the Ragusa Solar Park, promoted by GridShare, show how photovoltaic and agriculture can coexist and generate shared value. These projects make it possible to Buy shares in agrivoltaic plants and benefit from the revenues deriving from energy production, without having to directly manage operational or bureaucratic complexities.

It is a way to contribute to ecological transition and obtain an economic return linked to a real and sustainable infrastructure.

Conclusions

With the Agrivoltaic decree 2025, Italy is taking a decisive step towards a model of sustainable development that brings together renewable energy and agriculture. The new deadlines, reduced penalties and clear requirements make it easier to carry out projects, while incentives and technical controls guarantee high standards of quality and transparency.

Agrivoltaic represents a booming sector, able to create economic, environmental and social value. And, thanks to shared solar parks, becomes an open field even for those who want to invest inGreen energy without owning land or plants, but with the awareness of contributing to a more sustainable future.