RWE has commissioned its first solar plant in Italy. The 8.3 megawatt (MW) Bosco ground-mounted solar plant consists of around 15,000 bifacial modules. The photovoltaic plant is located on a 16-hectare site in the municipality of Partinico near Palermo, Sicily.
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Thanks to the implementation of a new accelerated permitting process in Italy, RWE was able to achieve Ready to Build in less than 18 months. Construction took around ten months. In order to optimise the use of land and resources, as well as to tackle grid scarcity, the Bosco solar plant uses the existing nearby RWE substation in Partinico, from which the local RWE wind farms already feed green electricity into the grid.
Protecting biodiversity
To operate the plant in harmony with the local ecosystem a wildlife-friendly fence was installed to allow safe passage for small animals. There is enough space between the ground and the bottom wire to allow animals such as foxes and rabbits to pass underneath. This voluntary measure reflects RWE's commitment to a positive impact on biodiversity when delivering renewable energy projects.
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“With the commissioning of Bosco, our first solar plant in Italy is up and running, with more projects to come. Solar is a perfect match for our growing wind fleet in Italy, as solar and wind complement each other perfectly as their production patterns naturally balance each other. Bosco is a flagship project in the field of efficiency, both in terms of the permitting process and grid access. We look forward to the next milestones in our journey to support a clean, stable and cost-effective energy future for Italy», Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australias said.
Integrated approach for renewables in Italy
RWE takes an integrated project approach that incorporates the development, construction and operation as well as marketing of wind farms and solar plants in Italy. As of today, the company operates 16 onshore wind farms with a combined installed capacity of 527 MW in the country. With its onshore fleet, RWE supplies around 450,000 Italian households with green electricity every year. The company is currently constructing the 53 MW Mondonuovo wind farm in the Apulia region. In addition to wind and the Bosco project, RWE is constructing its first commercial scale Agri-PV plants Morcone (9.8 MW) and Acquafredda (9.3 MW) in Campania region. (hcn)
