The Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) has unveiled new “non-price criteria” for two upcoming tenders under the Fer X Transitorio program, marking a significant step toward promoting European-made solar components.

The tenders, exclusively targeting photovoltaic (PV) systems, will allocate a total capacity of 1.6 GW. The goal is to encourage the use of modules manufactured within the European Union, making Italy one of the first EU member states to implement the resilience requirements outlined in the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA).

Since August 28, 2025, Decree MASE No. 220/2025 has been in effect, introducing a special procedure for photovoltaic systems up to 1 MW in capacity that use “non-Chinese” components.

Under the new decree, PV systems that incorporate modules, cells, or inverters from China are excluded from participating. The newly added Article 5, “Contributing to the resilience of competitive procedures under Regulation (EU) 2024/1735,” sets out the pre-selection criteria for tender applicants:

· Solar modules must not be manufactured in China

· Solar cells must not originate from China

· Inverters must not be sourced from China

· At least one other component from the EU’s annex list of solar technologies (per Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1178, May 23, 2025) must also not come from China

Applicants must submit a formal commitment to comply with these criteria when participating in the tender.

In addition, up to 20% of the PV quota is earmarked for a special auction in which all key components—modules, cells, inverters, and at least one other item—must meet the “not from China” requirement outlined in EU Regulation 2025/1178.

“It is not yet known when the tender will officially launch, but a 30-day application window is expected,” said Marco Balzano, founder of his eponymous company. Following the application period, bid rankings will be published within 45 days, and in any case, no later than December 31, 2025.