GreenGo has announced it is teaming up with Astrea Energia to develop two solar sites in Lombardy, northern Italy.
The first, already authorised, is a 3.5MW array located on the flat land of a formerly decommissioned quarry. The second early-stage project is for a floating 5MW photovoltaic plant on a reservoir obtained from the recovery of an area previously exploited with mining activities.
The two initiatives mark a concrete turning point in the Pavia region’s energy landscape: the total planned peak power is 8.5MWp with a connection to the local electricity grid.
The first plant will cover a total area of 4.88 hectares and construction will start by the end of the year, with the array due to come into operation in June 2025.
The second project in the lower Pavia area, based on floating solar technology, will be built on a 10.6-hectare reservoir with a usable floating area of 6.60 hectares.
The strategic partnership with Astrea Energia was launched in 2023 and underlined Astrea’s solid experience in the renewable energy sector, said GreenGo. The company took care of the development and authorisation process, up to ready-to-build status, guaranteeing the optimisation of the solar energy produced by the two plants.
Astrea Energia co-founder Maria Sabella said: ‘Working with GreenGo, which represents excellence in our sector, on this innovative project is a truly enriching experience and demonstrates how value can be created through the pooling of synergies and skills.
“This operation adds to and enhances our project portfolio in northern Italy, which to date exceeds 300MW.
“We are confident that soon, thanks to the DM FER X, we will be able to boost the floating photovoltaic sector, which has compelling development potential in Italy, and which would need more convinced government support to be able to take off, also considering the positive environmental benefits by limiting the consumption of agricultural land and protecting water resources while respecting biodiversity.
“The proximity of the two plants will allow responsive benchmarking across the lifetime cycle of PV systems monitoring of the producibility of floating technology compared with the ground-mounted one.
Development director and member of GreenGo’s board of directors Fabio Amico added: “This initiative in Lombardy confirms GreenGo’s multi-technological DNA, which ranges from wind power to storage, and our natural vocation to promote innovative energy solutions in the renewable energy sector with the challenge of achieving a sustainable LCOE for PV floating as well.
“With the support of public programmes for innovation in the RES sector, the goal is to realise in Italy the first utility-scale demonstration plant that could kick-start the industrial chain. Astrea, thanks to its design and excellent technical development skills demonstrated, is the ideal partner for us in this phase of accelerated territorial diversification and GreenGo industrial growth”.