The energy company RWE was successful in the tender for subsidies for agri-PV plants in Italy, with two projects. The plants are subsidised by means of a contract for difference. After commissioning, the electricity is sold on the electricity stock exchange at the current price. RWE is compensated by the state for the difference between the price specified in the tender, which RWE needs to operate the plant economically, and the selling price on the market. If the price sold on the stock exchange exceeds the price auctioned, RWE must pay the excess revenue. In addition, RWE receives an investment subsidy of a maximum of 40 per cent.
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Start-up scheduled for the end of 2025
The two plants are being built in the south-western province of Benevento in Campania. One of the two plants with a capacity of 9.8 megawatts is being built in Morcone, roughly 40 kilometres north-east of Naples. The Acquafredda solar park with an output of 9.3 megawatts is being built some 30 kilometres further north. The plants comprise a total of approximately 32,500 modules. RWE has now started construction of the two plants. Both agri-PV systems should be connected to the grid by the end of 2025.
Modules are elevated on high trackers
The two systems are built as tracker installations. The solar modules are turned around an axis at a height of three metres. This not only fulfils the requirements regarding the usability of the area for agriculture. It will also increase the energy yield, as the tracked modules are better aligned with the position of the sun than a fix-mounted system. Crops will be harvested below the panels in a fully integrated energy-agri system, increasing agricultural production while optimising land use. I Additionally, the solar modules protect these crops from hail, frost, drought and heavy rain.
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Improving technology
Once the plant has been commissioned, RWE will analyse how the shading affects the development of the plants and the actual yields generated by the solar modules. RWE intends to use the data from this monitoring to further develop its agri-PV technologies. „The start of construction marks the realisation of our world-first agri-PV projects on a commercial scale, with more to come“, Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, holds out the prospect. „Sunny Italy is also a perfect market for this technology. Advanced agri-PV helps us to use the scarce resource of land responsibly and efficiently, generating two different yields - agriculture and renewable energy – from the same land. Win-win at its best“, she states. (su)
