MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's solar power capacity rose by 1.7 gigawatts (GW) in the first quarter to 32 GW thanks to a jump in the development of large projects, the country's association for the photovoltaic sector said on Monday.

Power coming from new solar projects with a size of more than 1 megawatt (MW) each increased by 373% in the quarter to the end of March compared with the same period last year.

Middle-sized photovoltaic projects on the roofs of commercial and industrial buildings also increased, with a 106% rise reported in their total power compared with last year, Italia Solare said, adding that the development of smaller projects slowed down.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

Until 2023 Italy's energy transition has been based on the development of a myriad of solar panels mounted on roofs, something that has kept costs of power generation high in the country and also created risks for the country's decarbonisation path.