What are photovoltaic (PV) systems??
They are systems that, when exposed to the sunlight, produce electrical energy directly.

What is their potential??
Huge. For example, if all of the well-exposed roofs of the existing buildings in Italy were used (approx. 800 square km), 40% of national electrical needs would be met.

What are the prospects of developing PV??
Up until a few years ago the cost of energy produced by PV was considerably higher than energy produced with fossil fuels. The incentives to use this technology, initially subsidised and then through the "Feed-In Tariff" mechanism, gradually adopted in numerous countries, have allowed the systems to spread extensively, compensating for the gap created by economic competition. The consolidation of an increasingly-growing market has induced the industry to invest in improving production technologies on the basis of results from the world of research and in the mass production of systems, with the subsequent reduction of over 50% in the cost of systems, within a span of 5-6 years. Reasonable forecasts say that, in our southern regions, the cost of a kWh produced by PV is already very close to full economic competitivity, even if the initial investment constitutes a considerable drawback.

What are the advantages connected to PV??
They are mainly of a social-economic nature. For example, in Germany, through a well-thought out incentives policy in the sector beginning in the '90s, employment in PV has exceeded 100,000 units in 2009, with an industry turnover of 10 billion Euros.
Moreover, as a renewable energy source, PV can and must contribute to containing the emissions of carbon dioxide, with the aim of containing the rise in global temperatures within two degrees Celsius by 2100, as set forth in the agreement stipulated at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in 2009.

What is the installed power in Italy and that envisioned for the future??
Approximately 3.2 GW of PV-produced power is currently installed in Italy. The national objective is to reach 8 GW by 2020, however, based on the most recent data this will be achieved much sooner.

Which countries are the greatest producers of PV system components??
Most of the components installed in Italy come from abroad. The most important producers are China and Taiwan, Germany, Japan and the United States. The considerable growth in the PV industry in these countries is due to: the implementation of incentive programmes that have created and guaranteed a stable and lasting market (Germany and Japan); elevated expertise in specific technological sectors (thin film in the USA); elevated flexibility of management and low labour costs (Asian countries).  Nevertheless, it is still possible for our industry to occupy a significant space, on an international level, by investing in productions with a high rate of innovation.

(Source: ENEA - Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile - National agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development)