Iberdrola inaugurates its largest solar PV plant in Italy

Spanish energy firm Iberdrola officially inaugurated the Fénix project, a 243MW solar PV installation located in the provinces of Enna and Catania in eastern Sicily.

The plant will produce close to 400,000MWh annually, enough to power more than 140,000 homes.

The plant, which includes 413,000 bifacial photovoltaic modules, is connected to the electricity system via 26 kilometres of medium voltage lines and 9 kilometres of high voltage lines.

According to Iberdrola, most of the power will be purchased through long-term PPAs with Italian companies looking to lower energy costs and stabilise supply.  

Fénix is an important project in terms of expanding Iberdrola's Italian portfolio. In a LinkedIn post Danielle Jarski, Chief Operating Officer of Iberdrola Energía Internacional, stated: “The inauguration marks an important milestone for our growth in Italy and Iberdrola Renewables, contributing to a more secure, competitive and electrified energy system.”

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She added that the scale of a project such as Fénix matters because it delivers an immediate impact. Furthermore, the long term PPAs support industrial competitiveness and economic resilience.

While Italy continues to depend largely on fossil fuels for electricity production, the country’s favourable geographical position in the Mediterranean increases solar generation potential and increases the capacity factor substantially.

Italy’s 2030 targets aim to reach 30% of renewables in total energy consumption and 55% of renewables in electricity generation.

According to the International Energy Agency, Italy produced 30% of its renewable electricity from solar in 2024, with 46% being delivered by hydro sources.

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