Italy restricts the construction of large photovoltaic parks on agricultural land. With decision no. 127 of 2026, the Constitutional Court rejected the objections to the regime introduced by the government of Giorgia Meloni in 2024 and accepted that it did not contradict constitutional principles and European law.
The restriction does not constitute a general ban on solar energy. It mainly concerns plants where photovoltaic modules are located directly on land designated by development plans as agricultural.
According to the court, the legislator has the right to limit the consumption of arable land when the aim is to protect the soil, agricultural production, the landscape and natural resources. The magistrates noted that the rules do not exclude the production of electricity from the sun in agricultural areas, but impose specific requirements on the type and location of the installations.
Agrovoltaic systems remain permitted
In agricultural areas, the construction of agrovoltaic systems continues to be permissible, in which the panels are raised high enough above the ground and allow crops to be grown or livestock to be carried out underneath them.
The Constitutional Court emphasizes that it is these facilities that preserve the continuity of agricultural production. In contrast, basic agrovoltaic projects with panels placed on or next to the ground may fall under the ban if they effectively limit the use of the land for agricultural purposes.
Photovoltaic installations on the roofs of agricultural, industrial and residential buildings remain permitted, as well as projects on quarries, landfills, disturbed or already developed land, when the conditions provided for in the law are met.
The Italian legislation also allows for certain exceptions for existing plants that are modernized without increasing the occupied area, as well as for certain projects related to energy communities or the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
Agricultural land as a limited resource
The decision has direct implications for the agricultural property market. In recent years, investor interest in land for solar parks has led to competition between energy companies and farmers, especially in areas with good sunshine and the possibility of connecting to the electricity grid.
The new regime limits the possibility of arable land being acquired or leased solely for the purpose of building ground-based photovoltaic plants. This could reduce speculative demand for certain categories of agricultural land, but at the same time direct investment towards industrial zones, rooftops, brownfield sites and agrovoltaic technologies.
Rome's policy is part of a broader attempt to find a balance between increasing production from renewable sources and preserving land as a basis for food production.
The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, described the decision as a confirmation of the government's position. According to him, Italy is not opposed to renewable energy, but insists that new power plants be built in such a way that they do not interrupt agricultural activity.
What is the situation in Bulgaria
The Law on the Protection of Agricultural Land stipulates that the change of purpose is allowed exceptionally, upon proven necessity and after an administrative procedure. Projects usually require spatial planning, a decision by the competent commission, environmental approvals and payment of the relevant state fees.
Without a change of purpose, only objects directly related to their agricultural use and compatible with the purpose of the land can be built on agricultural properties. Regulation No. 19 specifies, for example, buildings for storing agricultural produce and inventory, but does not provide a general basis for the construction of a large commercial photovoltaic power plant.
Thus, the Bulgarian model does not prohibit ground-based solar parks on fields in advance, but allows their implementation after a change in status and an individual assessment of the project. In practice, this means that agricultural land can be permanently removed from agricultural use if the investor obtains the necessary permits.
The difference with Italy is significant. The Italian approach places a general restriction on ground-based panels in agricultural areas and encourages agrovoltaics and rooftop installations. The Bulgarian regime continues to rely primarily on procedures for changing the purpose, spatial planning and environmental assessment for each individual property.
Detailed statistics on average property prices in Bulgaria by city and neighborhood can be found at imot.bg