MEET EXPERTS DEVELOPING ITALIAN GREEN ENERGY SPACE – Milan, October 30th.

We are opening our registration desk at 9 AM to give you apple time to arrive at the venue before the main conference starts. Your badge will be ready for collection from the desk.

Please make sure to bring your business card with you so we can update our records.

Please make sure to wear your badge all through the Forum so other participants may quickly know who you are and what company you represent.

The Forum will be opened with a short welcome address by Mr Derek Michalski, Chief Executive Officer, The Voice of Renewables.

Panel moderator: Mr Lorenzo Parola, Managing Partner, Parola Associati

Italy is currently facing a twofold challenge with regard to its national electricity grid: saturation not only in terms of input, but also in terms of output. While the difficulty of connecting new production plants – particularly those using renewable sources – due to network capacity limits and infrastructure congestion has been discussed for years, a mirror image but equally critical problem is now emerging: the growing demand for electricity consumption, driven by new and powerful consumption hubs.

Among these, data centres represent the focus of the new pressure on the grid. New estimates suggest that by 2030, in Lombardy alone – and in particular the Milan metropolitan area – could absorb several GWs of additional power to power cloud computing, AI and advanced digital services. Such concentrated increases in demand risk exceeding the available withdrawal capacity in primary substations and high-voltage backbones.

Key Discussion Points:

• Finding response to concentrated increases in stable energy demand that risk exceeding the available withdrawal capacity in primary substations and high-voltage backbones.
• Responding to increased electricity demand, further amplified by the decarbonisation of consumption, with the electrification of sectors such as transport, heating and industrial processes.
• Acting on urgent need for large energy infrastructure investment to ensure rapid upgrading of transmission and distribution networks.
• Maintaining the balance between electricity supply and demand.
• Identifying new business opportunities created by rapid and immense new energy demands.

By the end of 2025 year an almost revolutionised grid connection regulatory framework (compared to the current one) is expected to be approved. This new framework is expected to have a major impact on current and future investments in the renewables sector.

This fireside chat will be conducted between a prominent energy lawyer and a representative of Italian TSO.

Italy’s onshore wind sector is entering a critical new phase. With aging turbines, ambitious climate targets, and a shifting regulatory landscape, the industry must now accelerate repowering, extend asset lifetimes, and unlock new development opportunities.

will delve into new project developments, the scaling of repowering initiatives, and the opportunities and technical challenges of lifetime extensions for aging wind farms. We’ll examine the latest market trends, regulatory changes, and investment signals, including key takeaways from a turbulent 2023.

Key Discussion Points:

• What’s driving new onshore wind development in Italy – and what’s holding it back.
• Repowering: overcoming regulatory hurdles and maximising existing sites.
• Lifetime extensions: when, how, and why to prolong the life of older assets.
• Lessons from 2023: under-subscribed auctions, permitting slowdowns and repowering momentum.
• How Italy can align policy and infrastructure to meet 2030 climate goals.

Italy’s race toward decarbonisation hinges on accelerating utility-scale solar and deploying battery energy storage systems (BESS) at speed and scale. As the country modernizes its energy mix, how can developers, grid operators, and policymakers unlock new growth pathways for solar and storage?

This forward-looking panel will unpack the market drivers, policy reforms, and technical innovations shaping the next era of large-scale PV and BESS in Italy. With land use challenges, permitting complexity, and grid congestion all under scrutiny, this session offers essential insights into how to deliver bankable, scalable clean energy projects.

Key Discussion Points:

• The evolving role of large-scale solar in Italy’s decarbonisation strategy.
• BESS integration: business models, co-location strategies, and revenue stacking.
• Overcoming land and permitting constraints in key regions.
• Grid access, connection timelines, and congestion management.
• How Italy’s revised PNIEC and EU funding streams are shaping new opportunities.
• Investment trends: who’s backing solar+storage at scale—and where?

Italy’s potential for floating offshore wind power is estimated at 207.3 GW. This makes Italy, according to the Global Wind Energy Council, the third largest market in the world in terms of potential for developing floating offshore wind projects. Indeed, the current portfolio under development in Italy is approx. 84.3 GW.

Italy has an advanced network of ports and fifty-seven harbours. According to a recent study conducted by The European House – Ambrosetti, offshore wind technology could facilitate the rapid build out of five key sectors in Italy that are already strong and will be required for the development of a substantial offshore wind industry.

This explains the excitement in the wider market about the Italian offshore wind sector. Although there is currently only one operational offshore wind farm in Italy (the 30 MW Taranto offshore wind farm); as of February 2025, 88.59 GW of offshore wind project connection requests had been made to grid operator Terna and seven of these projects are at an advanced stage of development (i.e the environmental impact assessment procedure). Overall, there are 131 offshore wind farm projects planned for Italy.

Key Discussion Points:

• Regulatory Readiness: Where Italy stands on permitting, marine spatial planning, and alignment with EU targets.
• Finance & Bankability: Building confidence in early-stage projects, risk mitigation, and financing large-scale assets.
• Grid & Infrastructure: Transmission planning, onshore landing zones, and grid-readiness for offshore integration.
• Project Pipeline & Auctions: What’s in development, where, and how the upcoming auctions could shape the market.
• Floating Wind & Technology: Italy’s deep waters as a catalyst for floating innovation and industrial development.
• Industrial Strategy & Local Content: Creating a supply chain for offshore wind—from ports to fabrication yards.

The Baltics, Nordics, and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) are emerging as critical frontiers in Europe’s green hydrogen build-out. This panel will explore how these regions are advancing hydrogen production through renewable-powered electrolysis, industrial partnerships, and infrastructure readiness. With the EU Hydrogen Bank and national funding mechanisms starting to unlock capital, countries are racing to deploy viable projects that align with decarbonization goals and create new export opportunities.

Bringing together developers, policymakers, and technology providers, the session will focus on how to scale up hydrogen production responsibly and competitively while navigating permitting, grid access, and water use. We will also assess how projects can be de-risked through strategic offtake agreements, co-location, and integrated planning.

Key Discussion Points:

• NBHC and other major transport corridors – their importance, current status of development, further requirements to speed up their deployment, competition and co-operation of separate corridors.
• National hydrogen network development – requirements, design, timeframe and pre-conditions.
• Balancing hydrogen network without storage. Expected lengths of balancing periods and implications for H2 production, consumption and electricity markets.
• Market storage requirements; location plans and time frame for the first underground storage facility in the region to be operational.
• Over storage potential in the region.

As digitalisation accelerates across the energy sector, the threat landscape is growing more complex. From grid operators to renewable asset managers, cyberattacks are no longer a distant risk – they’re a present danger. In parallel, the demand for smart, connected infrastructure is reshaping how energy systems operate, opening new doors for efficiency, flexibility, and, unfortunately, vulnerability. With cyber incidents on the rise and digital energy networks expanding, resilience is no longer optional – it’s mission-critical.

This timely panel brings together cybersecurity experts, utility leaders, and digital innovation specialists to explore how Italy can build cyber-resilient, intelligent energy networks. We’ll examine real-world threats, emerging regulations, and the technologies reshaping digital defense in the energy transition.

Key Discussion Points:

• Current Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks targeting critical energy infrastructure in Europe – what’s changed?
• Smart Grids & Digitalisation: Balancing innovation and vulnerability in the connected energy era.
• Cybersecurity by Design: Embedding protection from planning to operations across assets and systems.
• Regulation & Compliance: Navigating NIS2, CER Directive, and national-level cyber mandates.
• Incident Response & Recovery: Best practices in detection, containment, and resilience planning.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Building partnerships between energy players, tech providers, and national security bodies.

A short thank you and farewell address by Mr Derek Michalski, Chief Executive Officer, The Voice of Renewables.

PLEASE NOTE:

All timings are approximate. The organisers reserve the right o agenda the agenda to reflect market changes and updates and are not responsible for speakers no-show and last-minute replacements.