The Aosta Valley is the most virtuous region, while Piedmont is the region that produces the most solar energy in Italy. This is stated by a study from Aceper, the association of consumers and producers of renewable energy. The study was conducted on a sample of 5,236 photovoltaic systems located in 17 Italian regions. The parameter used to evaluate how virtuous a region is the ratio between actual photovoltaic production and expected production, according to the Pvgis (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System) criterion. This program allows for an actual calculation of the system’s production, including projections for the coming years, taking into account variables such as installation location, month of interest, tilt, and orientation.

Now, let’s look at the Aceper ranking, which, as mentioned, places the Aosta Valley at the top with 960,391 kWh (kilowatt-hours) produced and an expected production, according to Pvgis measurement, of 1,011,502 kWh, resulting in a ratio of 95% between actual and expected production. The second place goes to Emilia-Romagna, with 37,939,525 kWh produced and 43,840,630 kWh expected (87% ratio), followed by Piedmont, which ranks third with 139,917,414 kWh produced and 162,741,031 kWh expected (86% ratio), but is distinctly first in terms of kWh produced from solar energy.

We then find three regions with an 85% ratio: Abruzzo, with 20,100,052 kWh produced and 23,625,127 kWh expected; Liguria, with 5,187,522 kWh produced and 6,108,499 kWh expected; and Lombardy, second in the ranking for solar energy production with 66,305,239 kWh produced and 78,089,977 kWh expected. Veneto follows, with 49,221,066 kWh produced and 58,691,563 kWh expected (84% ratio), making it the third region in Italy for production. Marche, with 20,328,123 kWh produced and 24,622,400 kWh expected (83% ratio), precedes Tuscany, with 5,830,869 kWh produced and 7,263,032 kWh expected (80% ratio). Molise, with 1,589,155 kWh produced and 2,000,284 kWh expected, and Puglia, with 18,459,422 kWh produced and 23,406,458 kWh expected, both have a 79% ratio, while Umbria, with 21,396,944 kWh produced and 27,506,185 kWh expected, has a 78% ratio. Following are Sicily (2,325,953 kWh produced, 3,144,591 kWh expected, and a 74% ratio), Lazio (16,105,440 kWh produced, 22,635,310 kWh expected, and a 71% ratio), Campania (13,893,494 kWh produced, 19,822,080 kWh expected, and a 70% ratio), Sardinia (49,792 kWh produced, 71,369 kWh expected, and a 70% ratio), and Basilicata, which closes the ranking with 4,171,443 kWh produced, 6,836,095 kWh expected, and a 61% ratio.

“This research also considers the average ratio of the productions of our members between, indeed, actual kWh produced and expected kWh according to Pvgis measurement, which stands at a more than satisfactory 79% for maintained and revamped (restructured) systems by us at Aceper,” specifies Veronica Pitea, President of the association. “However, the national average is around 65% productivity, a figure that greatly concerns Aceper and is why we are requesting a meeting with the government as soon as possible to understand how to bring national production to at least 85%. We need to focus on how to increase the power and productivity of our systems,” concludes President Pitea, “not on how to save by reducing consumption.”