Riflessioni sull'uso del terreno agricolo per la realizzazione di impianti alimentati da fonti rinnovabili: il caso dell'agrovoltaico

The article examines two important elements of the recent evolution of Italian energy policy law aiming to achieve the Eu targets of decarbonisation and promotion of renewable energy, which have both strong implications in the agricultural sector: 1) the reintroduction of financial support for the promotion of photovoltaic systems with elevated panels from the ground in agricultural areas (so-called agrivoltaic system) (law decree n. 77/2021 on the Governance of PnrrRR); 2) the introduction of the obligation for Italian Regions to identify areas which are "suitable" for the installation of plants powered by renewable sources and, in particular, by the photovoltaic ones, in addition to the faculty, already allowed to them, to identify areas "not suitable" for this purpose (Legislative Decree no. 199/2021 implementing Directive (Eu) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources). In particular, the article aims to analyze, on the one hand, whether the agrovoltaic system can represent a "sustainable photovoltaic model" that allows the agricultural entrepreneur also to pursue the productive goals and the protection of agricultural land; on the other hand, the ratio of the identification of "suitable areas", reflecting on the opportunity this new strategy can represent to reduce competition in the use of agricultural land.