AI Applied to Renewable Energy Development: Up to 2,000 New Solar Sites Identified in One Month

A more energy-efficient and independent Italy, powered by artificial intelligence: less than one month to build a pipeline of potential solar sites, compared to the nine or more months required today. This is what Proger’s platform delivers, built on the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) and AI.

The platform identifies up to 2,000 suitable sites, assesses their key constraints, and initiates contact with landowners within a matter of weeks (with a target of two weeks at full operational capacity), automating the entire preliminary workflow. In the so-called origination phase, the system analyses complex territorial data, including soil morphology, solar irradiance, landscape protection constraints and grid proximity, adapting to different applications from standard photovoltaic to agrivoltaic installations and battery storage systems. Beyond site selection, the platform also handles regulatory and environmental screening and identifies landowners through cadastral records and open-source data, with automated initiation of first contact. All activities are monitored through a centralised dashboard providing real-time visibility of project progress.

A genuine step change, eliminating the procedural and time-related bottlenecks that today make building a credible energy independence strategy for Italy genuinely difficult.

“Origination is a phase that demands intensive manual work and carries a high degree of uncertainty,” says Rocco Marsico, Director of Proger’s Green Energy Business Unit. “Applying artificial intelligence reduces timelines and improves the quality of initial site selection, with a direct impact on pipeline robustness.”

Acting now matters in a sector that needs to grow but is currently showing signs of strain. In 2025, photovoltaic output in Italy grew 25% year on year, with total installed capacity exceeding 43 GW, while new installations fell by 5%, reflecting persistent difficulties in the preliminary and permitting phases.

Under Italy’s National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), the country must more than double its installed renewable capacity by 2030, a target that will require an estimated €70 to €90 billion in investment over the coming years and a significant acceleration in project development timelines.

“Compressing the preliminary phase has a direct bearing on the ability to bring new generating capacity online and mobilise capital across the supply chain,” Marsico continues. “Accelerating project development is widely recognised as a key factor not only for meeting energy targets, but also for the downstream effects on industrial output and employment across a sector that spans development, engineering, construction and asset management.”

Proger’s Green Energy Business Unit covers the full energy transition value chain, serving international clients including integrated energy operators, oil companies, energy transition specialists, and national strategic infrastructure managers. Its services extend well beyond origination to include technical, legal and administrative due diligence, permitting, detailed engineering, EPC contracting for new industrial and utility-scale facilities, and the integration of distributed storage systems into the national grid.

“Our goal is not to occupy a single stage of the process, but to manage the entire development chain,” Marsico concludes, “from scouting through to commissioning, with consistent competence and reliability. The diversity of Italy’s territory and the complexity of its regulatory framework,” he adds, “drove us to develop tools and methodologies that already benefit major industry players and represent a distinctive competitive advantage at the international level.”