Danish independent power producer European Energy has broken ground on the 225.5 MW Vizzini agrivoltaic project near Vizzini in Sicily, Italy, following a final investment decision exceeding EUR 200 million. The project is set to become Italy’s largest agrivoltaic plant and ranks among the largest such facilities anywhere in Europe. Once operational, the facility will generate approximately 405 GWh of electricity annually, enough to meet the consumption needs of more than 135,000 households and avoid roughly 162,090 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. European Energy is managing all engineering, procurement and construction activities directly, working alongside local contractors, technical partners and suppliers drawn from the surrounding region. The project sits on 260 hectares and integrates solar panels mounted 1.3 metres above ground level to allow agricultural activities to continue beneath them, including the grazing of approximately 820 sheep. Revenue stability is secured through Italy’s FER X Transitional Contract for Difference auction scheme, which provides long term contracted income for the asset. An existing grid connection further strengthens the project’s investment profile. Construction has commenced following completion of the design and procurement phase, with operations expected to begin once the build programme is concluded.

Sicily’s Solar Rise and the Agrivoltaic Mainstream

The Vizzini project arrives as southern Italy cements its position as the continent’s most active agrivoltaic construction zone. Sicily’s combination of high solar irradiance, averaging above 5 kWh per square metre per day, abundant agricultural land and supportive CfD auction structures has drawn a wave of major developers to the island. In May 2025, Aquila Clean Energy broke ground on a 52 MW agrivoltaic project near Catania, part of a EUR 500 million, 570 MW regional pipeline, while Zelestra commenced its Bellomo agrivoltaic plant in Modica earlier this year. European Energy’s own Italian track record underpins confidence in the Vizzini development: the company commissioned the Troia solar park in Puglia in 2022, which at the time held the title of Italy’s largest solar installation. The five projects totalling 513 MW that European Energy secured under the FER X auction across Sicily, Puglia and Molise represent a total financial commitment of around EUR 500 million, with Vizzini as the portfolio’s flagship asset. Italy’s agrivoltaic sector is on course to exceed 1 GW of installed capacity by 2026, up from a standing start just a few years ago, and the Vizzini plant will account for more than a fifth of that milestone on its own. This rapid renewable buildout is also being mirrored offshore, where Italy is advancing large-scale hybrid marine energy concepts such as the proposed 540 MW offshore solar and floating wind farm project, signalling how the country is now pursuing both land-based agrivoltaics and next-generation offshore renewables in parallel.

Project Fact Sheet

• Project Name: Vizzini Agrivoltaic Project
• Location: Near Vizzini, Sicily, Italy
• Project Value: EUR 200 million plus (final investment decision confirmed)
• Client/Owner: European Energy A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Procurement Model: Developer-led EPC with local contractor and supplier integration
• Total Capacity: 225.5 MW
• Annual Energy Output: 405 GWh (equivalent to 135,000 households)
• Site Area: 260 hectares plant area; 90 hectares reforestation; 25 hectares mitigation measures; 25 hectares maintained in natural condition
• Agricultural Integration: Approximately 820 sheep grazing; solar panels mounted 1.3 m above ground
• Revenue Structure: Long term Contract for Difference under Italy’s FER X Transitional auction scheme
• Construction Start: May 2026
• CO2 Avoided: Approximately 162,090 tonnes per year

Project Team

• Developer and EPC Lead: European Energy A/S
• Head of Public Affairs, Italy: Alessandro Migliorini, European Energy
• Country Manager, Italy: Filippo Ricci, European Energy
• Deputy CEO: Jens-Peter Zink, European Energy
• Local Construction Partners: Regional contractors and technical suppliers from the Vizzini area (names not disclosed)
• Regulatory and Auction Authority: Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) via the FER X CfD scheme
• Grid Connection Authority: Terna S.p.A. (Italian national transmission operator; existing connection secured)