Italy Solar Feed-in Tariffs 2026: Ritiro Dedicato, Scambio sul Posto and GSE

New Italian rooftop systems sell their surplus power through Ritiro Dedicato. GSE, the state-owned energy services company that runs this scheme, pays the hourly zonal market price. The zonal price is the wholesale price for your zone, set a day ahead. For 2026 the minimum guaranteed price for photovoltaics is 47.5 EUR/MWh (4.75 ct/kWh). Here ct is a euro cent. The minimum applies to up to 1.5 million kWh a year. Scambio sul Posto is closed to plants that entered service after 29 May 2025.

Italy’s incentive system confuses even experienced solar professionals. Many older guides still describe it as it was before 2025. This guide sets out what is open in 2026, using the regulator’s own figures. ARERA is Italy’s energy regulator. We use its Ritiro Dedicato price rules and the end of Scambio sul Posto. We also use the Comunità Energetiche Rinnovabili (CER) premium from the 2023 ministerial decree. CER means renewable energy communities. The tax deduction figures come from the Agenzia delle Entrate, the Italian tax agency. The guide also puts numbers on self-consumption, which decides most Italian rooftop economics. For Germany-specific information, see Community Solar Projects Germany. For a wider view, see European Solar Tax Credits and Italy solar incentives.

In this guide:

• The status of each Italian mechanism in 2026, with dates
• How Ritiro Dedicato sets its price, and the 2026 minimum for photovoltaics
• What happened to Scambio sul Posto
• The CER premium tariff formulas
• The tax deduction rates and limits
• What a kWh is worth to the owner: household price against the export price
• Regional yields from PVGIS
• Einspeisevergütung in Italien, for German-speaking readers

Latest Updates: Italy Solar Feed-in Mechanisms 2026

Prices and rules change. Check the source named in each row before you quote a figure to a client.

Ritiro Dedicato: GSE Buys at the Zonal Price

Ritiro Dedicato (RID) is the scheme where GSE buys the electricity a plant feeds into the grid. The producer does not sell on the market itself. ARERA’s page on the scheme says the price is not negotiated. It equals the hourly zonal price formed on the day-ahead market (MGP). Plants on networks that are not connected to the main grid get the national price (PUN) instead. The price is paid on the plant’s own hourly profile of power fed into the grid.

Who can use it. According to ARERA, plants below 10 MVA of any source can use RID. MVA is a unit of power size. Plants of any size fed by solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal or run-of-river hydro can use it too.

The minimum guaranteed price (prezzo minimo garantito, PMG). ARERA sets a floor for a limited amount of energy a year. This helps keep small plants viable. Since 2014 the floor applies to two groups. One is renewable plants up to 1 MW that get no incentive on the energy they produce. For them it covers the first 1.5 million kWh withdrawn a year. The other is photovoltaic plants up to 100 kW that get the older incentives. Each year ARERA updates the values by the change in the Istat consumer price index for worker and employee households. Istat is Italy’s national statistics office. The change was +1.4% for 2025 against 2024.

The year-end check. At the end of the calendar year, GSE compares two amounts. One is the minimum price times the energy. The other is the hourly zonal prices times the same energy. If the first is lower, GSE pays the zonal-price value as a balancing payment. The floor protects the owner when market prices are low. It does not cap the price when they are high.

Scambio sul Posto: Closed to New Plants

Scambio sul Posto (SSP), literally “exchange on the spot”, was Italy’s net-metering-style scheme, run by GSE. Net metering offsets the power you send out against the power you take in. SSP paid a contribution (contributo in conto scambio). It compensated, in money terms, the value of energy fed in during one hour against the value of energy drawn in a different hour. ARERA’s deliberation records the size limits it grew through. The limit was 20 kW at first. It was 200 kW for plants entering service after 31 December 2007. It was 500 kW for plants entering service from 1 January 2015.

What changed. Article 9(2) of Legislative Decree 199/2021 ends the scheme 90 days after the ministerial incentive decree comes into force. That decree is dated 30 December 2024. It came into force on 28 February 2025. So plants entering service after 29 May 2025 can no longer join. In deliberation 78/2025/R/efr of 4 March 2025, ARERA wrote two cut-offs into the rules:

• the plant must have entered service by 29 May 2025
• the request must reach GSE by 26 September 2025

New plants can use one of the mechanisms in Legislative Decree 199/2021 instead. They can also use Ritiro Dedicato.

Existing agreements. Under deliberation 457/2024/R/efr, you cannot renew an SSP agreement once 15 years have passed from the date the plant first joined the scheme. GSE then pays out any surplus by the following 30 June. If no new dispatching contract has been requested from Terna (the transmission grid operator) within the time limit, GSE starts a Ritiro Dedicato agreement. For agreements still running, GSE publishes the annual balance values by 15 May. It pays the balance by 30 June of the following year.

Scambio sul Posto vs Ritiro Dedicato

Comunità Energetiche Rinnovabili (CER): Premium Tariff on Shared Energy

Energy communities (CER) are groups of producers and consumers who share renewable electricity. The ministerial decree DM 414 of 7 December 2023 (MASE) sets an incentive. It is a premium tariff on the energy shared inside the community. It is calculated per hour for energy shared through the same primary substation (cabina primaria). The decree applies to renewable plants of up to 1 MW each, connected under the same primary substation. The tariff period is 20 years from commercial operation. The figures below are from the decree text as published. They do not reflect later changes, so check GSE for the current rules.

The tariff in EUR/MWh depends on plant size, where Pz is the hourly zonal electricity price in EUR/MWh:

For photovoltaic plants the decree adds a correction for sunlight levels. It is +4 EUR/MWh in the Central regions (Lazio, Marche, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo) and +10 EUR/MWh in the Northern regions. Here are three examples for a plant up to 200 kW, before the regional correction:

• Pz = 100 EUR/MWh: 80 + (180 - 100) = 160, capped at 120 EUR/MWh
• Pz = 150 EUR/MWh: 80 + (180 - 150) = 110 EUR/MWh
• Pz = 200 EUR/MWh: 80 + 0 = 80 EUR/MWh

The tariff is paid on shared energy only. The producer keeps the full output of the plant and can still sell it to GSE under Ritiro Dedicato. The decree also gives a capital grant of up to 40% of eligible costs. This is for communities in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. As published, it applies until 30 June 2026.

Tax Deduction for Rooftop Solar

The Agenzia delle Entrate’s February 2026 guide to renovation tax breaks lists the installation of a photovoltaic plant among the eligible works. The plant must serve the home’s own energy needs. You claim the deduction in ten equal yearly installments.

Take EUR 8,000 of eligible cost as an example. A 50% deduction is EUR 4,000, or EUR 400 a year over ten years. At 36% it is EUR 2,880, or EUR 288 a year. It lowers the tax you owe. It is not a cash grant. A taxpayer with little tax due may not use all of it.

What a kWh Is Worth: Household Price vs Export Price

Eurostat, the EU statistics office, publishes household electricity prices for Italy and Germany twice a year. The prices include all taxes and levies. This table is for a household using 2,500 to 4,999 kWh a year (band DC):

Source: Eurostat dataset nrg_pc_204, updated 19 October 2026. The average includes fixed charges. So the saving on one more self-consumed kWh is lower than this price. Compare it with the Ritiro Dedicato floor of 0.0475 EUR/kWh: 0.3142 / 0.0475 = 6.6.

Worked Example: 6 kWp in Rome

PVGIS is a free solar yield tool from the European Commission. PVGIS 5.3 (SARAH-3 data, 2005 to 2023) gives 8,905 kWh a year for 6 kWp facing south at a 30 degree tilt in Rome, with 14% system loss. The kWp unit is the peak power of the panels. The self-consumption shares are assumptions for illustration. They are not measurements.

Moving 20 points of output from export to self-consumption adds 1,781 kWh x (0.3142 - 0.0475) = EUR 475 a year. That is why you should design for self-consumption before you chase the export price. To get a simple payback, add the tax deduction. Then divide your installed cost by the annual figure. This guide does not quote an installed cost, because none of the sources used here publishes one.

For a quick estimate with your own numbers, try the solar savings calculator. If you are producing bills of materials for Italian projects, see solar BOM software for Italy.

Regional Solar Performance: Italy by Zone

Sunlight and yield vary from north to south. The table is from PVGIS 5.3 (SARAH-3 data, 2005 to 2023, queried on 28 October 2026). It uses city-centre coordinates, each city’s best fixed south-facing tilt and 14% system loss. The table is sorted by yield. The 8 kWp column is 8 times the kWh/kWp figure.

Palermo’s yield is 13% above Milan’s (1,532 against 1,356 kWh/kWp). The best tilt rises from 32 degrees in Reggio Calabria to 40 degrees in Bolzano. For more on tilt and direction, see the solar angles guide.

Einspeisevergütung in Italien

Dieser Abschnitt richtet sich an deutschsprachige Leser, die die italienische Einspeisevergütung mit dem deutschen EEG-System vergleichen möchten.

The nearest Italian equivalent is Ritiro Dedicato. GSE buys the exported electricity at the hourly zonal price, with a minimum price for small plants. It is not a fixed tariff of the German kind.

Einspeisevergütung Vergleich: Deutschland und Italien

Quellen: Bundesnetzagentur (Fördersätze für Solaranlagen), ARERA, Eurostat (nrg_pc_204).

Italiens Vergütung folgt dem Markt. In Deutschland ist die EEG-Vergütung ein fester Satz. In Italien zahlt der GSE den stündlichen Zonenpreis, mit einem Mindestpreis als Untergrenze. Planen Sie Einnahmen aus dem Export mit dem Mindestpreis.

Der Eigenverbrauch bleibt der wichtigste Hebel. In beiden Ländern ist eine selbst verbrauchte Kilowattstunde deutlich mehr wert als eine eingespeiste: in Italien 0,3142 EUR gegenüber 0,0475 EUR Mindestpreis, in Deutschland 0,3618 EUR gegenüber 0,0770 EUR.

Rechtlicher Rahmen. Das EEG ist ein Bundesgesetz. Die italienischen Regeln stehen in Ministerialdekreten und in Beschlüssen der Regulierungsbehörde ARERA, und sie ändern sich, wie das Ende des Scambio sul Posto 2025 zeigt. Für Investitionsentscheidungen sollten Sie diese Änderungsrisiken in die Bewertung einbeziehen.

German solar companies that are considering Italy can use solar software with tariff and incentive inputs you can set. It helps with cross-border project decisions.

Applying to GSE

The GSE portal at gse.it is where you make Ritiro Dedicato and CER requests. The documents, forms and deadlines change. Take them from GSE’s own pages for your scheme, not from a summary.

Off-Grid Solar in Italy

Off-grid systems do not send energy into the grid. Ritiro Dedicato and the CER premium pay for energy that is sent in or shared. So they do not apply to off-grid systems. For the off-grid market, see Italy solar rooftop sales market.

Conclusion

Italy’s incentive mix in 2026 rewards those who know what changed. Scambio sul Posto is closed to new plants. Ritiro Dedicato pays the zonal price with a floor. Energy communities get a premium on shared energy. The tax deduction cuts the cost of a home system. The household price is 0.3142 EUR/kWh and the floor is 0.0475 EUR/kWh. That makes self-consumption the lever that matters most.

Three actions for solar professionals working in Italy:

1. Choose the mechanism by project. Use RID for exported energy from a single plant. Use CER where producers and consumers can share energy under one primary substation.
2. Quote export income at the floor. Show anything above 4.75 ct/kWh as a bonus, and say which price you used.
3. Model self-consumption on its own line. The 6 kWp example moves by EUR 475 a year between 40% and 60% self-consumption.

For a complete European comparison, see EU solar energy policies and European solar incentives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current feed-in tariff rate for solar in Italy in 2026?

Ritiro Dedicato, the route for a new rooftop system, is not a fixed per-kWh tariff. GSE pays the hourly zonal price from the day-ahead market. For 2026, ARERA’s minimum guaranteed price for photovoltaics is 47.5 EUR/MWh (4.75 ct/kWh) on the first 1.5 million kWh a year. This is for plants up to 1 MW that get no other incentive. If the zonal prices for the year come out higher than that minimum, GSE pays the zonal prices.

Is Scambio sul Posto still available?

Not for new plants. Under ARERA deliberation 78/2025/R/efr, a plant had to enter service by 29 May 2025. The request had to reach GSE by 26 September 2025. Existing agreements continue. But you cannot renew them beyond 15 years from the date the plant first joined the scheme (ARERA deliberation 457/2024/R/efr). New plants use Ritiro Dedicato, or an energy community.

How much does GSE pay per kWh?

Under Ritiro Dedicato, GSE pays the hourly zonal price formed on the day-ahead market (MGP). It is based on your plant’s hourly profile of power fed into the grid. The 2026 minimum guaranteed price for photovoltaics is 4.75 ct/kWh on up to 1.5 million kWh a year. At year end, the minimum price times your volume may be lower than the zonal-price value. In that case, GSE pays the zonal-price value. For shared energy in an energy community, a separate premium tariff applies.

What is Ritiro Dedicato in Italy?

Ritiro Dedicato (RID) is the scheme where GSE buys the electricity a plant feeds into the grid. ARERA sets the price. The producer does not sell on the open market. Plants below 10 MVA of any source can use it. Plants of any size fed by solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal or run-of-river hydro can use it too. It is the closest Italian equivalent to Germany’s Einspeisevergütung. But it pays a market price with a floor, not a fixed tariff.

How does Scambio sul Posto work in Italy?

Scambio sul Posto (SSP) was a scheme where GSE paid a contribution. The contribution compensated the value of energy fed in during one hour against the value of energy drawn from the grid in a different hour. For plants that joined it, GSE publishes the annual figures by 15 May. It pays the balance by 30 June of the following year. It is closed to plants that entered service after 29 May 2025.

How do Italy energy tariffs affect rooftop solar economics in 2026?

Energy you use yourself is worth far more than energy you export. Eurostat puts the average Italian household electricity price at 0.3142 EUR/kWh in the first half of 2026. That includes all taxes and levies. The consumption band is 2,500 to 4,999 kWh a year. The Ritiro Dedicato minimum for photovoltaics is 0.0475 EUR/kWh, about 6.6 times lower. The Eurostat figure includes fixed charges. So the saving on each extra self-consumed kWh is lower than the headline price.

What is Einspeisevergütung in Italy compared to Germany?

The nearest Italian equivalent is Ritiro Dedicato. Germany pays a fixed EEG tariff. It is 7.70 ct/kWh for surplus feed-in from a building plant up to 10 kW commissioned between 1 August and 31 December 2026. It is 12.22 ct/kWh for full feed-in (Bundesnetzagentur). Italy pays the hourly zonal price with a 4.75 ct/kWh floor for photovoltaics in 2026 (ARERA).

What is luce e gas in Italy?

Luce e gas (light and gas) is the everyday Italian term for household electricity and gas supply. ARERA, the independent regulator, sets the rules for the regulated parts of the bill. For a rooftop system, what matters is the price of each kWh you stop buying from the grid.

What is the difference between Scambio sul Posto and Ritiro Dedicato?

Scambio sul Posto compensated, in money terms, energy fed in against energy drawn at a different hour. It is closed to new plants. Ritiro Dedicato is a sale of energy fed in to GSE at the hourly zonal price. Small renewable plants get a minimum guaranteed price. Under RID, the self-consumed share saves money on the bill. The exported share earns the zonal price.

How much can I earn with Italian solar feed-in tariffs?

A 6 kWp system in Rome facing south at a 30 degree tilt produces about 8,900 kWh a year (PVGIS). Say it self-consumes 40% and exports 60%. The energy bill saving is at most about EUR 1,119 (3,562 kWh at 0.3142 EUR/kWh). The export value is at least about EUR 254 (5,343 kWh at the 0.0475 EUR/kWh floor). That is a total of about EUR 1,373 a year. At 60% self-consumption the same system comes to about EUR 1,848.

Sources

• ARERA, Aggiornamento dei prezzi minimi garantiti per l’anno 2026 (communiqué of 29 January 2026), with the 2026 table (xlsx): photovoltaic 47.5 EUR/MWh, first 1,500,000 kWh
• ARERA, Ritiro dedicato e prezzi minimi garantiti
• ARERA deliberation 78/2025/R/efr of 4 March 2025, end of the Scambio sul Posto regime (PDF), which also describes deliberation 457/2024/R/efr
• Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, DM 414 of 7 December 2023 (CACER decree), Allegato 1
• Agenzia delle Entrate, Ristrutturazioni edilizie: le agevolazioni fiscali (February 2026)
• Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204)
• Bundesnetzagentur, EEG-Förderung und -Fördersätze and its archive of past rates (six-monthly setting since 2024)
• European Commission JRC, PVGIS 5.3, run on 28 October 2026