RWE was successful in the Italian Resilience and Recovery Plan auction, awarding contract for difference tariff and up to 40% return on investment for advanced Agri-PV. The 9.8 megawatt (MWac) Morcone and 9,3 MWac Acquafredda advanced Agri-PV plants, located in the province of Benevento in the Campania region, were awarded. Construction of the more than 32,500 solar modules is scheduled to begin in early 2025, with commissioning scheduled for the end of next year.
The Agri-PV projects will use elevated tracker systems: the solar modules are elevated on a three metre high tracker structure with a movable axis, increasing the energy yield of the PV system. Crops will be harvested below the panels in a fully integrated energy-agri system, increasing agricultural production while optimising land use. The panels provide protection against hail, frost, drought and heavy rain. The performance of the two advanced Agri-PV systems, including meteorological and agricultural yield data, will be monitored by RWE to help improve Agri-PV technology.
Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia: “I am thrilled that with Morcone and Acquafredda our world-first commercial advanced Agri-PV plants will be installed in Italy. As land is a scarce resource, we must use it responsibly and efficiently. Agrivoltaics is a sustainable symbiosis between agriculture and renewable energy bringing in two different yields from the same land. This innovative technology helps us paving the way towards a sustainable future.”
RWE Renewables Italia – strong presence in Italian market for renewables
RWE is a key player in the Italian renewables market. The company takes an integrated project approach that incorporates the development, construction and operation as well as marketing of wind farms and solar plants. The company draws on its extensive experience to drive forward its business in Italy. As of today, RWE operates 15 onshore wind farms with an installed capacity of approximately 500 MW in the country. With its onshore fleet, RWE supplies around 400,000 Italian households with green electricity every year. The company is currently constructing the 54-MW San Severo wind farm and the 53-MW Mondonuovo wind farm, both in the Apulia region and Bosco (8.3 MWac), its first Italian solar plant near Palermo.
A graphic (credit: RWE) is available at the RWE Media Centre