Mapping the Photovoltaic Landscape of Puglia Using Open Energy Data

The urgent need to address climate change, reduce the environmental impact of oil extraction, and respond to rising energy costs is accelerating the transition toward sustainable energy systems. Italy, like many other European countries, offers favorable conditions for the development of renewable energy, and photovoltaic infrastructure is being increasingly promoted in response to these challenges. In this context, the growing installation of solar power plants plays a central role in the transition to sustainable energy systems. However, comprehensive planning strategies specifically aimed at defining optimal locations for photovoltaic installations and monitoring the sustainability of their spatial distribution are still limited. This study integrates solar power plant datasets provided by the Gestore Servizi Energetici and World Resources Institute with geographical information system tools to evaluate the spatial distribution and characteristics of solar power plants in the Puglia region (Southern Italy). Thus, after creating a dedicated geographical database in the QGIS environment, spatial data analyses were performed to assess the distribution of solar power plants at both provincial and regional levels. The analysis provides insights into the concentration of solar infrastructure and identifies areas with higher renewable energy development. The results reveal a high spatial variability in the distribution of photovoltaic installations in Puglia, reflecting differences in land availability, solar energy potential, and infrastructure availability. There are in total more than 110,307 solar power plants installed, with an overall mean value of 32.88 kW and 12 kW for low-tension and 850 kW for medium-high tension levels, with more than 98% of power plants being small-scale installations (< 200 kW).