Towards grid parity of solar energy in Italy: The payback time trend of photovoltaic plants during the last years

The Italian application of the European program of incentives for the production of electricity by means of grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems is the so-called Conto Energia. The goal of this paper is the estimation of payback time of PV plants of different sizes and destinations in Italy, considering the time evolution of the incentive mechanism as well as the market economy of the plants. The ultimate goal of this investigation is to assess if and when PV energy will reach grid parity. The interest of this evaluation extends beyond national borders, since - due to the huge development of the PV market during the last years, all over the world but especially in Italy - the “Italian way to photovoltaic” can be a benchmark of trends and developments of energy systems in the world.