Energy storage in Italy continues to gain capacity, approaching 20 GWh cumulatively, at the same time, the country added 4.83 GW of new photovoltaic capacity between January and September 2026, according to data compiled by ITALIA SOLARE from Terna records. The expansion of the solar market continued during the third quarter, with 1.74 GW of new photovoltaic capacity connected, representing a 37% increase compared to the 1.269 GW registered in the same period of 2025.
In the first nine months of the year, new solar installations reached 4,834 MW, distributed among 147,632 newly connected systems, as a result, Italy’s cumulative photovoltaic capacity reached 48,347 MW at the end of September. The data comes from ITALIA SOLARE and is based on records from the Gaudì database in Terna, with a cut-off date of September 30, 2016.
The sector’s growth is also reflected in the number of installations connected to the grid, during the third quarter, 58,459 new photovoltaic systems were added, compared to 38,660 in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, connected capacity increased by 5% compared to the second quarter, this trend demonstrates greater activity across the various segments of the Italian solar market, however, large-scale plants and commercial and industrial projects accounted for the majority of the new capacity added during the period.
The photovoltaic installations systems of 1 MW or more contributed 2,241 MW between January and September 2026. This capacity corresponded to 473 plants and represented 46 % of the country’s new solar additions. The commercial and industrial (C&I) segment, comprised of systems with capacities between 20 kW and 1 MW, added 1,697 MW through 11,905 installations. Its share reached 35 % of the new photovoltaic capacity.
Meanwhile, residential installations up to 20 kW added 897 MW through 135,254 connections, equivalent to 19% of the growth recorded during the first nine months of the year. This distribution highlights the weight of higher power projects in the expansion of the Italian market, while the residential segment continues to contribute a significant volume of new installations.
Between July and September, the photovoltaic plants large-scale projects added 858 MW of new capacity. Of this total, 394 MW came from projects between 1 MW and 10 MW, while the remaining 464 MW came from installations larger than 10 MW. During the same period, commercial and industrial projects added 543 MW, while the residential segment contributed another 341 MW. These results confirm the leading role of large-scale installations in the growth of Italian photovoltaic power and also show that commercial and industrial projects continue to make a significant contribution to the expansion of solar generation.
Electricity storage also saw progress during 2016. As of September 30, Italy had 984,829 connected electrochemical systems, with a cumulative energy capacity of 19,983 MWh and a total capacity of 8,338 MW. According to the published data, 12,552 MWh corresponded to storage systems associated with photovoltaic installations, while the remaining 7,368 MWh belonged to independent installations.
Between January and September, 1,953 MWh of new storage capacity was connected. Of this volume, 1,486 MWh were linked to solar installations and 467 MWh corresponded to independent systems. During the third quarter, the systems associated with photovoltaic installations incorporated 480 MWh of energy capacity and 252 MW of power. These new connections comprised 31,039 systems and represented a 15% growth in capacity compared to the same period in 2025.
The evolution of photovoltaic generation and energy storage reflects the expansion of both segments within the Italian electricity system. As installed solar power increases, so do the resources available to store electricity and manage its availability. This combination is becoming increasingly important in the evolution of the country’s energy infrastructure.
Source: Solar Quarter
Photo: Shutterstock
Moises Carrasquero is a mechanical engineer and writer specializing in technology, engineering, and industrial development, with a focus on the advancements that are transforming these sectors. My goal is to turn complex technical information into clear, accurate, and relevant journalistic content.
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