What is the officially approved battery storage procurement volume for Italy's 2029 MACSE auction, and how does it compare to Terna's broader 2030 storage requirement estimates?

The Italian energy ministry (MASE) has approved a 16GWh battery storage procurement volume for the 2029 MACSE auction, scheduled for 24 November 2026. This figure stems from Terna’s 'extremely conservative' scenario—assuming €22/MWh gas price and €20,900/MWh/year auction clearing price—which projects a total national battery storage requirement of about 42GWh by 2030. In contrast, Terna’s base case scenario—using PNIEC (NECP) gas-price assumptions of €32.40/MWh in 2030 and the first MACSE round’s average awarded price of €13,000/MWh/year—indicates storage needs exceeding 100GWh by 2030.

Why do industry experts like Mauro Moroni and Salvatore Casa criticize Terna’s 16GWh MACSE 2029 target as overly cautious, and what factors could lead to higher future procurement volumes?

Mauro Moroni (Italia Solare) argues Terna’s target is overly cautious because it prioritizes system adequacy alone, ignoring broader system and renewable generator needs—including curtailment, congestion, price volatility, and stability—especially with over 30GW of renewables expected via FER X mechanisms. Salvatore Casa (Elemens) attributes the conservatism to cost management objectives, aiming to charge consumers only for 'strictly necessary' capacity. Both agree future volumes could rise substantially: Casa notes that if auction clearing prices remain low (e.g., near the first round’s €13,000/MWh/year), procurement may approach Terna’s base-case >100GWh 2030 need; Moroni adds Terna might delay larger procurements until falling battery costs enable more economical scale-up.

Italy Takes Cautious Approach to Battery Procurement Amid Capacity Market Uncertainty

Jun 12, 2026

Italy’s Terna approved a conservative 16GWh battery storage requirement for the 2029 MACSE auction, though experts project needs could exceed 100GWh by 2030 due to renewable growth.

icis

2026-06-12

Italy Takes Cautious Approach to Battery Procurement Amid Capacity Market Uncertainty

Italy Takes Cautious Approach to Battery Procurement Amid Capacity Market Uncertainty

FAQ