Glossary
Italian permitting terms
Key terms you will come across in an Italian permit application for renewable plants.
- PASProcedura Abilitativa Semplificata (simplified authorisation procedure)
- Simplified permit filed with the municipality for renewable plants within set thresholds; now governed by Legislative Decree 190/2024 (the consolidated renewables act), previously by art. 6 of Legislative Decree 28/2011.
- AUAutorizzazione Unica (Single Authorisation)
- Permit, usually issued by the Region, authorising construction and operation of the plant and its associated works after a services conference. Introduced by art. 12 of Legislative Decree 387/2003, now governed by Legislative Decree 190/2024.
- VIAValutazione di Impatto Ambientale (environmental impact assessment, EIA)
- Procedure under Part II of Legislative Decree 152/2006, national or regional depending on type and thresholds, possibly preceded by a screening.
- ScreeningVerifica di assoggettabilità a VIA (EIA screening)
- Procedure that decides whether a project must undergo a VIA.
- PAURProvvedimento Autorizzatorio Unico Regionale (regional single permit)
- Procedure under art. 27-bis of Legislative Decree 152/2006 that combines the regional VIA and the permits needed to build the project into a single decision.
- Services conferenceConferenza dei servizi
- The forum where the authorities involved give their opinions on an application; governed by Law 241/1990.
- Request for additional informationRichiesta di integrazioni
- A request from the authority for additional documents or clarifications during the procedure.
- Compliance with permit conditionsVerifica di ottemperanza
- The check that the conditions attached to a permit, for example a VIA decision, have been met.
- STMGSoluzione Tecnica Minima Generale (grid connection offer)
- The connection offer issued by the grid operator (Terna, the national transmission system operator, or the local distribution operator) under the TICA connection rules of ARERA, the Italian energy regulator.
- BESSBattery Energy Storage System
- Electrochemical energy storage system, stand-alone or paired with a generating plant.
- AgrivoltaicsImpianto agrivoltaico (agrivoltaic plant)
- Solar plant that preserves farming or grazing on the same land; requirements are set by the 2022 guidelines of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and by the consolidated renewables act as amended by Law 4/2026.
- IPPIndependent Power Producer
- The company that develops, permits and often builds and operates renewable plants.
- EPCEngineering, Procurement and Construction
- The contractor that designs, procures and builds the plant on behalf of the owner.
- Risma
- Engineering firm for the development and permitting of renewable energy projects in Italy: it prepares the permit application file from the customer's documents, with every value traceable to its source; Risma engineers review and sign the documents, the customer approves them before filing.