Spanish Giant Announces Italy’s ‘Largest’ Solar Power Plant

• Iberdrola has contracted Germany's IB Vogt for a 245 MW solar power plant in Italy 
• Construction is scheduled to begin in March this year, making the Fenix project the largest solar plant under construction in the country 
• Iberdrola says large industrial power consumers will be the target offtakers for power generated 

Iberdrola of Spain has a 245 MW solar power plant in Italy, calling it the country's largest to date with capacity expansion possible by another 60 MW. Germany's IB Vogt will break ground on site in March 2024. 

"The project, called Fenix, will start construction in March and will mark an unprecedented event in the Italian energy landscape as the largest photovoltaic project under construction in the country. Italy currently has only 60 plants of more than 10 MW, and the average project is 26 MW," according to Iberdrola. 

The 245 MW Fenix Solar Project is to be constructed in Sicily with 424,638 solar panels. On completion, it is expected to generate around 400 GWh of clean energy annually. The project will also create close to 500 direct local jobs during the construction phase, and more than 100 permanent jobs during commercial operations. 

Power generated is planned to be supplied to large industrial power consumers under long-term power contracts.  

The Spanish energy giant already operates 30 MW solar capacity in the country. By 2025, it targets an installed capacity of 400 MW here. 

Denmark's European Energy commissioned the 103 MW Troia Solar Park in June 2020 in Apulia as the largest PV project in Italy. It later sold the same to Iren Energia (see Italy's Largest Solar Plant Gets A New Owner).

Enel Green Power is also constructing another large scale project in Italy's Viterbo province, calling it the largest agrivoltaic facility with 170 MW capacity (see Italy's 'Largest' Agrivoltaic Project Enters Construction).