The combination of solar power and agriculture will save about 110,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Due to the high solar irradiation, the highly elevated solar surface will produce about 220 gigawatt hours of clean electricity per year. This could supply the Sicilian capital Palermo with electricity for a quarter of a year.
700 megawatts in the final stage
The project is the first of seven in Sicily that will reach a total of 700 megawatts. The solar modules are to grow olive trees and fig trees. "This project includes the full range of our PV services," explains Sarah Herresthal, head of Sens Italia.
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After completion of the construction phase and commissioning, Sens Italia will take over the O&M service. "We are expanding our service on this project by also taking care of the agricultural maintenance and harvesting of the plants. Sens is becoming a farmer in Italy."
Triple benefit from Agri-PV
Planning and development for the large-scale project began in 2019 . On an island like Sicily, land is usually scarce. That's why the dual use through Agri-PV presented itself. Actually, the benefit is threefold: because the artificial shading reduces evaporation and lowers the amount of water needed to cultivate the crops.
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The solar park with 135 megawatts is the first of a total of seven planned Agri-PV parks in Sicily. The total output will reach approximately 700 megawatts. In addition, about 600,000 bottles of olive oil, 2.2 million kilogrammes of figs and 120,000 kilogrammes of honey will be produced each year.
New transformer station feeds in high voltage
To complete the expansion, a transformer station will be built to connect the solar power to the high-voltage grid. "The completion of the substation will significantly strengthen the electricity infrastructure in the region," says André Kremer, CEO of Sens Group. "Sicily has enormous, previously untapped potential for renewable energy. Our aim is to exploit this potential in the best possible way, taking into account the landscape." (HS/mfo)
