Italian incentive strategy and regulations on small wind power turbines: A critical overview

Small wind power industry in Italy had its kick-start in 2009, after the Government implemented two measures introducing both the simplified regime and incentive rates for small wind power plants. In the last six years, a lot of plants and small wind turbines have been installed in Italy, especially in the South. Aim of this paper is to examine how local standards, incentive policy and regulations have affected the spread of small wind turbines in Italy. After examining national and regional legislation, an analysis of the data on the penetration of wind systems in Italy has been carried out, with particular attention to six Southern regions (Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Sardinia, Sicily), has been carried out. The data analysis allows to detect several factors influencing the evolution of small wind turbines market. They mainly depend on two aspects: the fragmentation of sector-specific regulations on a regional level and the incentive program/strategy.