As Italy accelerates the deployment of utility-scale solar and energy storage projects, digital tools for project design and optimization are becoming increasingly critical for developers navigating a complex regulatory and technical environment.

During KEY – The Energy Transition Expo 2026 in Rimini, Review Energy spoke with Juan Sierra, Territory Manager, and Matteo Menazzi, Technical Advisor at Enverus RatedPower, about the role of digitalization in improving project competitiveness and the latest software innovations supporting solar and storage development.

According to Sierra, Italy is currently experiencing strong growth in large-scale solar, although the market remains one of the most complex in Europe from a development perspective.

“Italy is accelerating in utility-scale projects, but at the same time it is one of the most complex markets in Europe,” he explained. “Grid connection processes, regulatory constraints and site analysis are significant challenges. Developers who are able to design projects more efficiently and strategically gain a clear competitive advantage.”

In this context, digitalization is becoming a key enabler for advancing projects more effectively and reducing development risks.

New software capabilities for PV and storage design

To support this evolving market, RatedPower continues to expand the capabilities of its software platform. According to Menazzi, the company has introduced several major updates over the past year aimed at improving project design accuracy and financial visibility.

One of the most significant developments is the integration of battery energy storage system (BESS) modelling, allowing users to analyze both standalone storage projects and hybrid PV-plus-storage configurations.

“Through our software, developers can now study the energy flow of both standalone battery systems and hybrid solar-plus-storage projects, whether they are connected in AC or DC,” Menazzi explained.

The platform also enables users to evaluate energy arbitrage strategies, helping developers understand how storage can increase project revenues by storing electricity when prices are low and selling it when prices are higher.

“This allows companies to assess not only the additional cost of adding batteries, but also the potential revenue streams they can generate,” he added.

Improving design precision and project profitability

In addition to storage integration, RatedPower has introduced enhanced layout editing capabilities, allowing engineers to manually adjust project components such as substations, roads, trackers and inverters within the same platform.

This improvement brings the software closer to the detailed engineering and construction phases, enabling more accurate bill-of-quantities calculations and cost estimations.

Another major innovation is the introduction of 3D energy calculations, which provide more precise estimates of energy production, particularly in markets with complex terrain such as Italy.

“The 3D energy calculation allows us to obtain much more accurate production estimates,” Menazzi noted. “This leads to better revenue forecasts and ultimately a clearer understanding of project profitability.”

Storage integration and efficiency shaping market trends

Looking at broader market dynamics, Sierra highlighted several key trends currently shaping both the Italian and European renewable energy landscape.

Among them are the rapid integration of energy storage, increasing pressure on project costs and margins, and growing grid congestion across Europe.

“In today’s market, it is no longer only about designing projects faster,” Sierra said. “What really matters is designing them more efficiently, reducing technical risks, financial risks and overall costs.”

In this environment, digital tools capable of integrating solar, storage and financial analysis within a single platform are becoming increasingly valuable for developers and investors.

Through its participation in KEY 2026, RatedPower reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the next phase of renewable energy growth in Italy, helping project developers design more efficient and financially optimized solar and storage assets.

Learn more under https://ratedpower.com/platform/