Neoen has begun the development of three solar farm projects in Italy that will increase the total power generation capacity in the country to 24.7 MWp.
This project will be the French renewables company‘s first endeavor in the Italian photovoltaic (PV) sector and it will retain 100% ownership of the projects. This portrays Neoen’s ambition to become a major player and contributor in the renewable sector in Italy, distinguishing it from its competitors.
All three projects are expected to start commercial operations at the beginning of 2025. Of the three projects, two (6 MWp and 7.6 MWp), respectively, will be built in the northern region of Lombardy and a 9.1 MW solar farm in the eastern region of Italy in Marche.
The turnkey contract for the construction has been awarded to Intec Energy Solutions as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. When fully operational, the three solar farms will generate electricity sufficient to power over 9000 homes annually while offsetting 37,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. The majority of the electricity generated will be sold through power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the rest of the electricity being sold on the general whole sale market.
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The French company says that since its inception in 2021, it has been developing several solar and energy storage projects in Italy, the majority of which are strategically located in areas selected by the government. This implies fast-track development, which will start construction in the next 12 to 16 months.
The completion of the projects will help the government achieve its target of having 40% of electricity consumption come from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Neoen Italy’s Director of Project Development, Daniele Lucchi highlights that with a portfolio of over 50 projects currently under development across 5 different regions, this shows the company’s ambition to rapidly expand its presence in Italy, as it has in all the countries where we operate.
