RWE has been successful at the Italian Resilience and Recovery Plan (PNRR) auction, which awards a contract for difference tariff and up to 40% return on investment for advanced agrivoltaics. After having won the tender for two projects in last year’s PNRR auction, which are currently under construction, RWE has now been awarded three new agrivoltaic projects with a total capacity of 30.2 MWac. Acquafredda 2 (11.7 MWac) is located in the Campania region, Enna Piscopo (9.5 MW) in Sicily, and Cave (9 MWac) in Calabria. Construction of the approximately 47 000 solar modules is scheduled to begin in November 2025, with commissioning scheduled for 2026.
The three agrivoltaics projects will use elevated mounting structures. Two of the projects will have high tracker structures with a movable axis, while the third will have a high, fixed-tilt structure, which is more compatible with the agrivoltaic-pastoral scope. Sheep will graze or crops will be harvested below the panels in a fully integrated energy-agri system, increasing agricultural yield while optimising land use. The panels provide protection against hail, frost, drought and heavy rain. To help improve the technology the performance of the three advanced agrivoltaics systems and meteorological and agricultural yield data will be monitored by RWE.
Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, said: “This is great timing. Shortly before the completion of our two agrivoltaics projects from last year's auction, we now have the green light to start construction on three more projects using this innovative technology. Italy is taking the lead in agrivoltaics because land is a scarce resource that must be used responsibly and efficiently. We look forward to continuing to support Italy's energy targets.”
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