The mechanism of green certificates (CV) is a form of incentives for the production of electricity from renewable sources. This mechanism is based on the mandatory rule that producers and importers of electricity generated from non-renewable sources, must annually introduce into the national electricity system a minimum share of electricity produced by plants using renewable sources. In fact, the green certificate, which conventionally attests the production of 1 MWh of renewable energy is issued by the Gestore dei Servizi Energetici SpA - GSE – upon request of the holder of a IAFR- qualified plant ( a plant powered by renewable sources) and it has a negotiable value of 1 MWh.
The requirement may also be satisfied through the purchase of CV, corresponding to the amount due, proving the generation of electricity from renewable sources carried out by any other producer.
The Leg. Decree 79/99, Art. 11, states that, as of 2002, manufacturers and importers of electricity produced from non-renewable sources are required to introduce a certain share of electricity in the grid per year, generated by plants using renewable sources. This share is equal to 2% of the electricity produced or imported from non-renewable sources in the previous year, exceeding 100 GWh / year.
As of 2004 to 2006, the minimum share of electricity generated from renewable sources to be put into the grid in the following year was increased by 0.35% per annum. The 2008 Budget Law has subsequently predicted that in 2007-2012, the share were to be increased by 0.75% per annum. According to the provisions of Law 244/07, the production of electricity from renewable sources in plants which began operating or had been repowered as of 1 April 1999 until 31 December 2007 is entitled to receive a certification attesting its generation from renewable sources (green certificate) for the first twelve years of operation. The production of electricity from renewable sources in plants which began operating or had been repowered with effect as of 1 January 2008, however, is entitled to receive certification of renewable energy production for the first fifteen years of operation.
For plants that entered into service after December 31, 2007-of annual average nominal power exceeding 1 MW and 0.2 MW for wind power plants - the GSE releases CVs for 15 years, recognized by multiplying the net energy recognized at the intervention carried out for the constants, differentiated by source, Table 2 of the 2008 Budget Law, subsequently updated by Law 99 of 23/07/2009 as shown below: