The growth expectations for electricity generation from renewable sources, driven by the new community decarbonization goals of the European Green Deal program and strengthened by the Fit for 55 package, are largely based on the incremental contribution of wind and photovoltaic sources. By 2030, these sources are expected to see their installed capacities double and triple, respectively. To reduce the time needed to implement these systems while ensuring compliance with environmental and territorial protection policies, the regulatory framework for implementing the European Directive “RED II” requires the prior definition of suitable areas for different types of renewable energy systems. This definition must be based on a thorough study of the territory and the characteristics of area suitability, which can be significantly enhanced by GIS-based methodologies and techniques. Given the technical and methodological complexity of the subject, to develop an anticipatory proposal regarding the main criteria, the Ministry for Ecological Transition has established a specific Working Group with the participation of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, the Ministry of Culture, and some regional representatives.
The document presents the activities carried out by RSE in support of the Working Group’s efforts, based on the methodological approach developed within this project for assessing regional distribution scenarios of wind and photovoltaic capacity, according to the availability of areas and resources.
Additionally, inspired by initial considerations from the Working Group regarding suitable types of areas, a pilot case was conducted in collaboration with the Piedmont Region, which provided detailed cartographic layers produced by its own departments. This collaboration allowed for the validation of the methodological approach developed by RSE within this project and consolidated through the Working Group’s work, both in terms of replicating the methodology for other regions and as a support tool for regional planning. Through interactions with the Ministries and Regions, as well as consultations with sector operators, it was possible to gather useful information for updating data and refining methodologies, thus providing a more accurate informational framework for the decision-making process.