ContourGlobal advances revamp of Italian solar fleet

ContourGlobal has announced that a major upgrade of its solar photovoltaic facilities sites in Italy is progressing at full speed, with more than 20 construction sites open and over 100 workers currently involved.

The project focuses on revamping and repowering 35 of the company’s total 71 solar PV plants in the country, targeting a 43% increase in installed capacity of the modernised plants.

This enhancement will be achieved without additional land use, thanks to the higher power density of the new modules installed in the same areas and the Italian grid’s hosting capacity.

This move is part of ContourGlobal’s strategic commitment to renewable energies, plant optimisation and the transition of its global portfolio towards lower-carbon power generation.

Antonio Cammisecra, ContourGlobal chief executive, said: “We are very happy with the progress of our PV revamping and repowering projects in Italy, showcasing the relevant technological progress as well as the sustainability upgrades that make the upcoming phase of renewable development much more friendly for the environment thanks to circular economy principles”.

He added that the project "is an important step in our strategy to boost our renewable production with new projects as well as upgrades of existing sites, in our pathway to lower significantly the carbon emissions of our global fleet”.

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More than just a technical upgrade to improve efficiency, the project features numerous relevant improvements on the sustainability dimensions.

The discarded modules, for example, are subject to an end-of-life processing that allows recovery of 97% of the materials, which include copper, silver, aluminum, glass and crystalline silicon.

The old ground-mounted steel structures being replaced by new single-axis trackers, as well as the old inverters being upgraded, are also subject to similar end-of-life processes.

Once completed, these upgrades will boost ContourGlobal’s total solar PV capacity in Italy to 113MW. Considering the new installed capacity, ContourGlobal will be providing enough solar power to supply more than 70,000 Italian homes annually.

To support this expansion, ContourGlobal increased its existing EUR 202 million infrastructure financing. The original agreement allowed for a new competitive contest to be launched among existing and new lenders, aiming to optimise commercial and structuring terms, as well as allowing an increase of the total commitments to EUR 264 million.

The new transaction was oversubscribed, confirming the appetite for good quality projects and creative finance solutions to speed up the development of renewables.

Looking forward, ContourGlobal is exploring additional opportunities for integrating energy storage solutions at some solar sites. This hybrid co-location approach of batteries and generation plants will further unlock renewable resources’ full potential, firming up renewable electricity supply.