The so-called “Conto Energia”: an effective incentive to the use of photovoltaic energy in Italy

The paper deals with the incentive mechanism of electrical energy produced via the photovoltaic source in Italy. This mechanism, called the "Conto Energia" (Energy Account), relies on a preferential tariff (or "feed-in tariff") which is based on annual generation and has led to a steep increase of the photovoltaic energy produced during the last four years in our Country, thereby constituting – with its advantages, but also with its weak points – a significant paradigm on a global scale in the field of financing strategies for renewable sources. In the paper, the evolution of the "Conto Energia" is analyzed, which has undergone several updates over time, thereby giving rise to three different "versions", referred to as, respectively, First, Second and Third "Conto Energia". Finally, the results obtained by means of the "Conto Energia" are illustrated, with a final comment on the latest changes taking place and the future perspectives.