We already knew that Italy was the world's second-largest solar power market in 2009 (the United States was fourth, by the way), but according to a new piece in Wind-works Italy is installing more solar power in two months than California does in a year. By the end of this year they are expected to have one and a half times the total installed capacity of the entire US.

Breaking down those numbers a bit: So far in 2010 Italy has installed 1500 MW of solar PV, compared to 480 MW in the US, 250 MW of which were in California. By the end of the year Italy should have 2500 MW of installed solar PV.

All this growth is powered by a 2007 decree setting a solar PV target of 1,200 MW--a new target of 3000 MW to be installed between 2011 and 2013 is awaiting approval--all of which is facilitated by a feed-in tariff system.

Why the comparison with California? In addition to the fact that California leads the way in the US in solar power, Italy is roughly similarly sized to California in area, size of the economy, and population.

way too little, much too late, but encouraging all the same.

power up, italia!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty