Over six billion euros are available in the two-year period 2024-2025 for Italian companies investing in the dual digital and green transition.
Legislative Decree 19/2024, converted with amendments into law 56/2024, provides a tax credit for companies, regardless of size and economic sector, which make new investments in innovation projects in the years 2024 and 2025, from which results in a reduction in energy consumption of the production structure in Italy of at least 3%, which rises to 5% if the reduction is calculated on the processes affected by the investment.
Since these are “green” incentives, the investments must respect the community principle of “not causing significant damage to the environment” (art. 17, EU Reg. 2020/852): therefore, for example, activities directly connected to fossil fuels, or which generate greenhouse gas emissions above certain parameters, activities relating to waste landfills and incinerators, as well as those in which a high dose of hazardous special waste is generated in the production process.
The tax credit provides a tiered mechanism in proportion to the expenses incurred, with differentiated rates in relation to the reduction in energy consumption.
To access the tax credit, you will need to send an electronic request to the GSE (Energy Services Manager); various communications are envisaged, in the preventive phase, in the investment progress phase and once the investment is completed.
The methods of implementation of the tax credit are delegated to a soon-to-be-issued ministerial decree.
Subsidized investments for the transition.
First of all, there are the “driving” investments: the corporate innovation project must concern new tangible (e.g. machinery) or intangible (e.g. software) assets referred to in Annexes A and B of Law 232/2016, already eligible for the benefits of “Industry 4.0”; the investments must be interconnected to the company production management system or the supply network and achieve the reduction in energy consumption required by law. Intangible assets also include the following:
- Software, systems, platforms or applications for the intelligence of systems that guarantee continuous monitoring of energy consumption or introduce energy efficiency mechanisms (energy dashboarding);
- Software related to business management if purchased together with them.
The “driven” investments are the following:
- Plants for the self-production of energy from renewable sources intended for self-consumption, including storage plants (excluding biomass); photovoltaic systems are included, provided that the system is produced in the European Union and has an energy efficiency of at least 21.5% per module;
- Expenses for staff training to acquire skills in the dual digital and energy transition. The training is subject to limits on amount and must be provided by subjects external to the company, identified by ministerial decree.
If a company is only interested in the digital transition, the “Industry 4.0” bonus is still operational, which is being modified by Parliament (DL 39/2024).
Business objectives must be clear.
The facilitation for “Transition 5.0” requires the development of a digitalisation and energy efficiency project: the aim is to improve the competitiveness of the company, not only from the side of cost reduction, but also of process optimization business and the best man-machine collaboration.
It is not a question of replacing human work with automation, but rather of enhancing collaborators, who will be able to concentrate more on high added value activities.
In order for the result of 5.0 investments to be effective and long-lasting, importance must be given to the integration between the different functions and the opportunity to strengthen the corporate culture must be seized. The 5.0 transition project, therefore, must be focused on the corporate areas where the greatest benefits can be obtained, but the impacts on the entire organization must be managed appropriately.
For more information and to analyze and study a sustainable and efficient transition plan, our advice is to rely on a professional in the sector. In fact, only an expert in the field can help you improve your business and make it greener and more digitalised!
