A study by Aceper (Association of Renewable Energy Consumers and Producers), which brings together 10,000 renewable energy production plants with over 7,000 members and a total installed capacity exceeding 2 GWp, shows that Valle d’Aosta is the most virtuous region, while Piedmont leads in photovoltaic production in Italy. The ranking of photovoltaic systems was based on a sample of 5,236 installations across 17 regions. A region is considered more or less virtuous depending on the ratio between actual and expected photovoltaic production, with the expected production estimated using the official Pvgis (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System) tool, which calculates the actual output of a plant, accounting for factors such as location, time of year, inclination, and orientation.

In Aceper’s photovoltaic ranking, Valle d’Aosta leads as the most virtuous region with 960,391 kWh actually produced and an expected production of 1,011,502 kWh, resulting in a ratio of 95% between actual and expected production. Emilia-Romagna ranks second with 37,939,525 kWh produced and 43,840,630 kWh expected (87% ratio), followed by Piedmont, which is third with 139,917,414 kWh produced and 162,741,031 kWh expected (86% ratio), but first in terms of kWh produced from photovoltaics. Three regions have an 85% ratio: Abruzzo, with 20,100,052 kWh produced and 23,625,127 expected, Liguria, with 5,187,522 kWh produced and 6,108,499 kWh expected, and Lombardy, second in photovoltaic 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 Italian region in production.

The Marche region, 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. Sicily follows (2,325,953 kWh produced, 3,144,591 kWh expected, and 74% ratio), then Lazio (16,105,440 kWh produced, 22,635,310 kWh expected, and 71% ratio), Campania (13,893,494 kWh produced, 19,822,080 kWh expected, and 70% ratio), Sardinia (49,792 kWh produced, 71,369 kWh expected, and 70% ratio), and finally Basilicata, which ranks last with 4,171,443 kWh produced, 6,836,095 kWh expected, and a 61% ratio.

“This study also considers the average production ratio of Aceper members, which is 79% for properly maintained and refurbished plants, according to Pvgis (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System) measurements,” says Veronica Pitea, President of Aceper. “However, the national average is around 65%, a figure that concerns Aceper, which is why we are requesting a meeting with the government as soon as possible to discuss how to increase national production to at least 85%. We need to focus on how to increase the power and productivity of our plants, not on saving by reducing consumption.