Renantis has launched its third crowdfunding campaign to support the construction of the La Manganizza agrivoltaic plant in Italy.
The project is located in Manzano, in the province of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia region) and the campaign offers an energy investment opportunity for those in the local community.
The project, with work commencing in autumn 2023, will be developed on a 15-hectare site and will have an installed capacity of 8.16MW, with total investment estimated at about €8m.
The technology used for energy production consists of over 14,000 double-sided solar modules on single-axis trackers and this technology will allow for higher output and reduced visual impact compared to traditional modules.
The area will host multiple beehives to produce honey and related products, a probiotic meadow and numerous region-native plants, including hedges and melliferous trees.
Using the land in this way will encourage the presence of bees and ensure that the land remains visibly in keeping with the landscape.
The apiary will be managed by a local company that will exclusively enjoy the fruits of the agricultural activities.
More than 85% of the plot will remain cultivable, including the part occupied by the hedges and the lawn under and between the panels.
This area will form an ecological oasis, providing the right environment for bees to play their important role in maintaining the natural ecosystem.
The restoration of natural habitats such as rows, hedges and meadows makes it possible to mitigate further decline of the bee population, which is one of the goals of the revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative presented by the EU Commission at the beginning of 2023.
Crowdfunding provides a remunerated loan guaranteed by Renantis.
Individuals can participate with amounts between €200 and €10,000, and with an interest rate of 6.5% per year, for three years, for residents of Manzano and neighbouring municipalities, while residents in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region will have a 5.5% remuneration rate.
The campaign follows the success of the lending crowdfuding initiative for the Terzo di Aquileia plant, in the province of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia region), which closed in May.
The campaign for the project with a total planned investment of €30m attracted 58 investors and more than €150,000 was collected, exceeding the target set by Renantis by 50%.