Ready-To-Build Solar Projects: Definition and Italian Framework
A Ready-To-Build (RTB) solar project is an asset where the critical development risks have been resolved. In the Italian regulatory framework, this means authorisation issued, grid connection defined, land secured and due diligence dossier complete.
READYTOBUILD.SOLAR is an independent scouting platform that identifies and presents RTB solar projects in Italy to international investors. The pages on this site explain how we define each maturity stage and how we work with capital seeking execution-ready opportunities.
What qualifies as a ready-to-build solar project in Italy
In international solar markets, “ready” is a marketing term used loosely. In Italy, RTB has a measurable definition built on four pillars:
- Authorisation issued — Autorizzazione Unica (AU) under Legislative Decree 387/2003, or Procedura Abilitativa Semplificata (PAS) where applicable to project size and typology
- Environmental clearance — VIA (Environmental Impact Assessment), Screening or VIncA (Natura 2000 assessment) issued where required
- Grid connection defined — TICA (Technical and Economic Connection Offer) accepted, STMG (Minimum Technical Connection Solution) finalised, connection point and timeline documented with the DSO/TSO
- Land control — surface rights (diritto di superficie) or long-term lease registered, with terms covering the asset lifetime including decommissioning
A project missing any of these elements is not RTB. It may be late-stage, investment-ready, or in development — but not RTB.
Why international investors focus on RTB projects
RTB projects compress the riskiest phase of solar development — permitting — into a known position. For international capital evaluating Italy from abroad, this matters for three reasons:
- Predictable time-to-COD — from acquisition, the path to Notice to Proceed and Commercial Operation Date is measured in months, not years
- Bankability — RTB projects can be presented to lenders for project finance with a clearer risk profile than development-stage assets
- Capital efficiency — equity allocated to RTB acquisition can be paired with construction debt facilities, optimising weighted cost of capital
Investors building Italian portfolios often combine RTB acquisitions with late-stage opportunities for blended risk-return, or scale through structured pipelines.
How we operate: scouting, not brokerage
READYTOBUILD.SOLAR operates as an independent scouting and advisory platform. We identify, qualify and present Italian solar projects to international investors. We are not a broker, dealer, financial advisor or regulated intermediary, and we do not provide investment advice, securities placement or capital markets services.
Our role is to bridge the information gap between Italian developers and international capital. Investors and developers engage their own legal, technical and financial counsel for transaction execution.
RTB within a broader solar project pipeline
Italy currently hosts one of Europe’s most active solar permitting pipelines, driven by PNIEC 2030 targets, the FER X decree and the capacity market for storage. The distribution by stage is heterogeneous: some projects are in TICA-acceptance phase, others have AU issued, others are pre-VIA.
For an international investor, the value of working with a scouting platform lies in this mapping: matching project stage with investor mandate, rather than chasing individual deals. See our pipeline page for the portfolio view, or solar investment opportunities for the deal-by-deal framework.
READYTOBUILD.SOLAR is part of a wider Italian solar platform ecosystem: rtb.solar for Italian-language marketplace access, sviluppo.solar for co-development opportunities, and terreni.solar for land sourcing and site control.
Audience-specific pages
RTB acquisition strategies vary by investor type:
- Solar projects for private equity funds — SPV structures, hold periods, exit strategies
- Solar projects for IPPs and utilities — build-and-own integration with existing portfolios
- Shovel-ready solar projects — terminology bridge for US/UK markets
- RTB vs shovel-ready — cross-border comparison
Start the conversation
If you are actively evaluating Italian solar investments, we can shortlist opportunities aligned with your capacity range, geography preference, stage focus and deployment timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes a solar project Ready-To-Build in Italy?
- An RTB project in Italy is one where authorisation (AU or PAS) has been issued or is substantially complete, the grid connection has been defined through TICA acceptance and STMG, land control is secured under enforceable surface rights or lease agreements, and a structured data room is ready for legal, technical and fiscal due diligence.
- How is RTB different from late-stage or shovel-ready?
- RTB sits at the most advanced end of pre-construction. Late-stage projects still have residual permitting milestones (e.g. VIA in progress, AU not yet issued). Shovel-ready is the equivalent Anglo-Saxon term for the same maturity level as RTB.
- What documentation is included in an RTB dossier?
- Typically: authorisation decree, environmental clearance (VIA, Screening or VIncA), TICA acceptance and STMG, urban planning conformity, surface rights or lease agreements, technical project documentation, interconnection studies, land registry searches and tax position of the SPV.
- Can RTB projects in Italy be acquired by foreign investors?
- Yes. There are no nationality restrictions on the acquisition of solar SPVs in Italy. Foreign investors typically acquire shares of the project company holding the authorisation and land rights.
- Are READYTOBUILD.SOLAR project listings binding offers?
- No. We present qualified opportunities sourced from Italian developers. Any binding offer is structured between the investor and the originating developer, with their respective legal counsel.