The Venue

Italy and hydropower

Italy has a total installed capacity of 150 GW, of which about 51 per cent is from renewable sources. Hydro capacity totals nearly 26 GW (as of the end of 2024), including 4351 MW of pumped storage.

As more than 50 per cent of the hydro plants in the country are now more than 40 years old. ENEL Green Power is now carrying out a large-scale repowering and refurbishment campaign, currently involving around 20 powerplants.

Hydropower production of 54 236 GWh (in 2024) contributed nearly 20 per cent of national electricity. Around 10 GW of energy storage, including 6 GW of utility-scale storage (from pumped storage and batteries) is required to be implemented by 2030, to meet Italy’s decarbonization targets. Edison and Webuild are planning the Pescopagano scheme, in the Basilicata region of the south, and the Villarosa scheme in Sicily. Both would use existing reservoirs which will require restoration work.

A law introduced in mid-2024 by the Ministry of the Environment establishes an incentive mechanism for renewable energy schemes which demonstrate innovation or have high operating costs. FPV schemes are covered by this legislation. In July 2025 a tender was launched for the deployment of about 50 MW of floating solar capacity.

Bologna as a meeting point

Bologna, in northern Italy, is in a region which can be considered a ‘hydro hub’ of Europe, with Austria, Switzerland, France and Slovenia quite close by; and it is easily accessible from all parts of the world. Its Guglielmo Marconi Airport, located only about 6 km from the centre of town, has direct flight connections with around 35 countries and a central train station connects with major European cities.

Several comfortable 4* and 5* business hotels are located just 2-3 minutes walk from Bologna Congress Center, and many more hotels in all styles and categories are available in the centre of town, with excellent tram and bus links. Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The city’s famous porticoes, spanning a total of 62 km and reflecting different architectural styles, have the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Other sites for delegates and accompanying persons to explore include:

• The iconic Clock Tower, with a platform at the top offering 360^o views of the city.
• The Palazzo d’Accursio (municipal palace), in Piazza Maggiore, which has been the seat of the municipal government since 1336. Inside is the famous great horses’ staircase, built by architect Donato Bramante in 1587 for the horses that drove the carriages to reach the governor’s apartments.
• The two leaning towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, built in the middle ages for military purposes, and today well known symbols of Bologna. Torre Asinelli, in Piazza Maggiore, was built between 1109 and 1119 by the family bearing the same name, and was handed over to the Municipality the following century.
• The University of Bologna is renowned as the oldest university in continuous operation in the world, and the first institution of higher learning to award degrees (and the first to award a degree, and a doctorate, to a woman). Teaching began there in 1088.

Visit Bologna: Emilia-Romagna Video Link