CER and self-consumption: new GSE operating rules published

New architecture, from the tender to the grant program

With the new rules, the photovoltaic support mechanism for self-consumption by private individuals becomes more streamlined. The capital contribution for CERs no longer passes through the one-stop call managed by MASE with GSE preliminary investigation, ministerial concession decree and registration with the Court of Auditors. With the art. 28 of the PNRR 2026 Legislative Decree, a real subsidy program is established as part of Investment 1.2 of Mission 2, Component 2 of the PNRR, according to the methods established by the implementation decision of the EU Council of 27 November 2025 which approved the revision of the Italian Plan.
The decisions to assign the new contributions will be taken by an independent committee established within the GSE.

The transition to facility, what does it mean in concrete terms

The keystone of the new structure is the transformation of the PNRR measure into a “facility”, a financial instrument envisaged by the revision of the Plan which allows European funds to be managed even beyond the original operational deadline of 30 June 2026.

In practice, the PNRR funding intended for CERs is transferred to the GSE which administers them through the subsidy programme: projects already started can thus continue without losing the right to the contribution, even if completion is postponed beyond 30 June. The mechanism of the facility essentially allows European resources to be kept alive which would otherwise have been lost due to failure to use within the timescales set by the PNRR.

However, the decree sets precise deadlines: the GSE must stipulate the concession agreements with each beneficiary by 30 June 2026, and the plants must enter into operation within 24 months from the date of communication of the agreement.

The prohibition on cumulation with other contributions, tax credits or concessions from EU resources for the same eligible costs remains unchanged.

Questions and advances

The publication of the rules makes it possible to speed up the processing times of applications. In all cases, the beneficiary has the right to request from the GSE an advance of up to 30% of the maximum capital contribution payable by submitting a request accompanied by a bank or insurance guarantee, covering 100% of the amount requested as an advance.

If the available financial allocation is exceeded, the eligible but non-fundable requests are included in a reserve list, ordered according to the chronological order in which the request was submitted. The scrolling of the list in the event of renouncement by other beneficiaries and/or financial additions to the measure occurs according to the chronological order of the applications and within the limit of availability gradually
made accessible.

Meanwhile, the GSE opens the disbursement of the old contributions

While we await the definition of the new structure, those who have already obtained the capital contribution with the previous tender can proceed with the collection. The GSE has activated on its portal the functionality for submitting the request for disbursement of the contribution for the beneficiaries of PNRR CER and PNRR Self-consumer groups projects.

The functionality is enabled by the GSE exclusively for beneficiaries who own plants for which the concession deed has been issued and the mandatory deed has been signed, and which have entered into operation and inserted in self-consumption configurations for which the referring entity has already submitted the qualification request to the GSE. All the necessary documents and interactive guides can be downloaded in the dedicated section.