Enhancing the Policy Framework for Offshore Wind in the Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities for Offshore Wind Policies in Europe

Italy has considerable potential to become a leader in offshore wind development in the Mediterranean region. Although the initial and thus far only Italian offshore wind farm, which was inaugurated in 2022 off the coast of Apulia, is characterized by fixed-bottom foundations, the prospects for large-scale development of offshore wind in Italy heavily rely on floating projects, due to the considerable depths of Italian waters. The submission of grid connection requests to the Italian transmission system operator for a capacity exceeding 90 GW (as of September 2024) demonstrates the strong interest in offshore wind development in Italy on the part of both national and international market operators. At the same time, a considerable number of uncertainties persist regarding the prospects for Italy to deploy its offshore wind potential. In particular, the Italian regulatory landscape for floating offshore wind still requires further development, in order to provide the long-term vision that is needed to foster investments in this sector. This includes, among others, the establishment of mid-to-long-term targets, the roll-out of incentive schemes, the streamlining of permitting and authorization procedures, the creation of a national maritime spatial plan, as well as the expansion of essential infrastructure such as ports and the electricity grid. The report presents an analysis of the existing policy framework influencing the development of floating offshore wind in Italy, while identifying key areas where prospective regulatory interventions could facilitate the growth of this sector.