The framework: Legislative Decree 190/2024
Legislative Decree no. 190 of 25 November 2024, known as the Testo unico FER, reorganises the authorisation of renewable energy plants in Italy. It groups the procedures into three regimes:
- Free activity (attività libera), for interventions that do not require a title.
- PAS (procedura abilitativa semplificata), a simplified procedure handled at municipal level.
- AU (autorizzazione unica), a single authorisation that brings together the opinions of the authorities involved.
Which regime applies depends on the characteristics of the project and its location. For investors, the practical question is not only which title a project holds, but whether that title was the correct one for the project as designed and whether it covers everything that has to be built, including the connection works.
PAS for solar projects
The PAS is the route used by many solar projects within its scope. The developer files the project with the municipality, which may raise objections or request integrations; once the procedure is completed without impediments, the title becomes effective. On Pipeline.Solar two separate teaser fields record whether a PAS has been filed and whether it has been approved, because the gap between the two is one of the most common reasons a project is late-stage rather than RTB.
For projects whose PAS is effective, see permitted solar projects in Italy. For projects still waiting, see late-stage solar projects.
Autorizzazione unica (AU)
The autorizzazione unica is used for projects outside the scope of the simpler regimes. It is issued at the end of a procedure that gathers the opinions of the competent administrations, usually through a conference of services, and it can cover both the plant and the related infrastructure, including the connection works. An AU file tends to be larger and to involve more authorities, which makes its documentation an important part of the investor's review.
When reviewing an AU, investors usually read the minutes of the conference of services as well as the final measure. The minutes show which administrations took part, which opinions were favourable and which came with conditions, and whether any dissent was overcome. This record helps to assess how solid the title is and which obligations will follow the project into construction.
Suitable areas and agricultural land
The location of a project affects both the procedure and its timing. The national framework on suitable areas (aree idonee), set by the Ministerial Decree of 21 June 2024, is implemented by regional laws, so the same type of plant can follow different paths in different regions. Our regional pages, such as solar projects for sale in Puglia, describe this context in general terms.
For ground-mounted plants on agricultural land, Decree-Law 63/2024 introduced limits, with exceptions that include quarries and mines, areas near industrial zones and other cases provided for by the law. Agrivoltaic plants remain possible in the configurations allowed, with reference to the MASE guidelines of June 2022. See agrivoltaic projects for sale in Italy.
Environmental assessment: VIA and screening
Some projects also require an environmental assessment, either a full VIA (valutazione di impatto ambientale) or a screening procedure to establish whether a VIA is needed. Where it applies, the outcome and any prescriptions attached to it become part of the permit package. Prescriptions can affect layout, mitigation measures and monitoring obligations during construction and operation, so they are read alongside the title itself.
What investors check in a permit file
- The title held and the regime under which it was obtained.
- Evidence that the title is effective, and any appeals or pending challenges.
- Consistency between the authorised layout, the capacity in the STMG and the land under control.
- Prescriptions and conditions attached to the title or to environmental assessments.
- Whether the connection works are authorised or still need a procedure.
- Expiry dates for starting and completing works, and possible extensions.
- Who holds the title and how it transfers in a share deal or asset deal.
These checks are carried out by the investor and its advisors. Pipeline.Solar performs a preliminary screening of project data and makes documents available in the data room after an NDA. See solar due diligence in Italy.
Filtering projects by permit status
Investors approach permitting risk differently. Some only want projects with an effective title; others accept a filed PAS or AU in exchange for a different price or payment structure; others prefer to fund the whole process through milestone-based co-development. On Pipeline.Solar you choose the stages that match your appetite and the capacity range of the single plant, and the staff sends you a teaser only when a project fits.
To start, set your permitting criteria in the investor access form or send a message on WhatsApp. Opportunities depend on the projects available at the time.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PAS or an AU better for an investor?
Neither is better in itself. What matters is that the title is the correct one for the project, is effective, and covers the works that need to be built.
Does an effective PAS make a project RTB?
Only together with an accepted STMG and secured land rights. See what RTB means in solar.
Do I receive projects with a PAS still pending?
Yes, if you select late-stage projects in your criteria. The teaser shows separately whether the PAS has been filed and whether it has been approved.
How do I register?
Complete the investor access form. After a short call you receive a personal link to set your criteria.