Italian towns replace failing municipal solar PV systems

The mayor of Noto, Corrado Figura, announced that the decades‑old photovoltaic installation at the municipal pool, which never operated, will be removed at no cost and replaced with a new zero‑cost solar system. The new array will heat both the large and small pools and power pool lighting, with the municipality estimating an annual saving of about €24,000 that can be redirected to other services.

In San Martino in Rio, councilors from Alleanza Civica questioned the performance of a photovoltaic plant installed in 2016 at Gazzata. They reported repeated faults and a current efficiency of roughly 60 % of capacity, leading to losses of tens of thousands of euros each year. The plant incurs annual fees of €408,000 plus €40,000 in reserves, and despite past revamping investments of €170,000, revenue from energy sales and incentives has not covered costs. The officials called for scrutiny of maintenance contracts and oversight.

Both cases highlight challenges faced by Italian municipalities in managing solar projects, including financial burdens and the need for effective oversight.