From greenfield to RTB: the six stages of project development in Italy
What happens between a piece of land and a solar, agrivoltaic or BESS project ready for construction, and what is worth checking at each stage.
The path at a glance
Greenfield
A site is identified and screened for constraints, land use and distance from the grid.
Land secured
Option, preliminary surface-right or purchase agreement signed with the owner.
Grid connection
Connection request filed and the grid operator's solution accepted.
Application filed
Final design and studies submitted under the applicable permitting route.
Permit granted
The authorisation is issued and the appeal period is monitored.
RTB
Permit, grid connection and land rights in place: the project is ready to build.
Greenfield is the project that does not exist yet: there is a site and an idea. RTB, ready-to-build, is the project that can be built. In between there are six steps, which a solar project developer in Italy takes in this order.
1. Greenfield: the site
The developer identifies candidate areas and screens them: suitable areas, landscape and environmental constraints, hydrogeological risk, zoning, access, distance from the grid and available capacity.
What the investor checks. That the screening is documented site by site, and that knock-out constraints have been checked against official sources.
2. Land secured
The developer negotiates with the owner and signs the agreement that puts the land at the project's disposal: an option, a preliminary surface-right or purchase agreement, with easements for cable routes and connection works.
What the investor checks. Title and chain of ownership, mortgages and encumbrances, term and conditions precedent, and whether the agreement can be assigned to the project company.
3. Grid connection
The connection request is filed with the distribution operator or with Terna. The operator replies with an offer or a technical solution, which must be accepted within the deadline.
What the investor checks. Connection point, grid works charged to the project, the timing estimated by the operator and the deadlines for keeping the solution valid.
4. Application filed
With the design, specialist reports and environmental studies, the application is filed under the route that applies: free activity, PAS or single authorisation, with environmental assessments where required.
What the investor checks. Completeness of the documentation, consistency between the permit design and the connection solution, and the authorities involved.
5. Permit granted
The authority issues the permit, often with conditions. The developer implements them and monitors the period during which the permit can be challenged.
What the investor checks. Conditions and their cost, deadlines for starting and completing works, any appeals.
6. RTB: ready to build
Permit final, connection accepted, land rights definitive or ready to become so: the project can be built.
What the investor checks. That all three elements sit with the same project company and match one another in capacity, layout and routes.
The three permitting routes
Under Italy's consolidated renewables act (Legislative Decree 190/2024) there are three routes for building and operating a plant.
| Route | Filed with | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Free activity (attività libera) | No permit to obtain | Less complex works, where no constraints apply |
| PAS (simplified procedure) | Municipality | Simplified procedure for the works listed by law |
| Single authorisation (autorizzazione unica) | Region or State | Larger and more complex works |
Which route applies to a project depends on technology, capacity, location and constraints: it is one of the first things the developer establishes. The rules have changed several times in recent years and the Regions have their own laws on suitable areas, so each project must be checked against the text in force.
Where milestones come in
The stages of this path are also the natural points to which the developer's fee can be tied. That is the principle of milestone-based co-development: each instalment falls due when the stage is reached.
Questions on development stages
How long does it take to go from greenfield to RTB in Italy?
It depends on technology, size, permitting route, Region and the grid operator's timing. No one can promise it in advance: the developer estimates it project by project.
What is the difference between greenfield and brownfield?
Greenfield is a project to be developed from scratch. Brownfield refers to a plant already built and operating.
When can a project be called RTB?
When it has its permit, an accepted grid connection solution and the land rights, and the three are consistent with one another.
Tell us about the project you want developed
Message us on WhatsApp or fill in the form: technology, indicative size and the Italian regions you are interested in are enough to start. From Italy you can also call toll-free.