Italy calls first FIT tender

The debut of Italy’s wind Fit next year should be accompanied by a sharp decline in wind installations as capacity limits are placed on projects seeking the tariff and sponsors carefully evaluate the new business case for investments.

Through the first tender, a total 500MW in authorised onshore wind projects exceeding 5MW may be assigned the Fit through an auction process that sees projects seeking a lower tariff favoured. Although a Fit for 650MW of onshore wind capacity is also being auctioned, it is likely no offshore projects will participate in the inaugural auction.

A Fit will also be available for 60MW in small-scale projects (60kW to 5MW) and 150MW for project repowering, which is in a very early stage in Italy. Smaller and repowered projects do not participate in the auction but must sign up on newly instituted registries.

GSE said interested parties may make auction offers and sign up for registries from October 8 to December 6. GSE expects to announce tender results in early 2013.