BNZ, an Independent Power Producer (IPP) that develops, builds and operates renewable energy projects, has signed bilateral agreements to supply a total of 1,600 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable energy to large steel and iron companies in Italy. This volume of energy is equivalent to the annual consumption of 600,000 homes and will avoid 528,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, enabling these companies to significantly advance their decarbonisation strategies.

The contracts have been signed under the Italian “Energy Release 2.0” mechanism, managed by the public entity Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) and designed to accelerate the deployment of new renewable capacity by linking industrial electricity demand with the development of new generation assets. Through this mechanism, energy-intensive industries can purchase renewable energy for three years at a stable price of €65 per megawatt hour (MWh) via the GSE.

Thanks to this mechanism, BNZ will develop new renewable projects in Italy, which will also benefit from a fixed tariff, linking this stable-price supply to the development of new generation capacity over a 20-year period.

“These contracts will strengthen our position in the Italian market, enabling us to support the system and the businesses by supplying clean energy at a stable price for the security and the competitiveness of the country. We are aware that the issue of energy costs and security is of great importance to Italian enterprises, providing them with increased financial stability and significant risk mitigation against market volatility. Our presence in Italy is growing, bringing our integrated energy platform to support the achievement of renewable target objectives“, stated Luis Selva, BNZ CEO.

An integrated energy platform 

BNZ has entered a new phase of development evolving from a traditional renewable energy developer into an integrated energy operator. This approach places energy management and hybridisation at the core of its business, combining solar and wind clean energy with a total battery energy storage system (BESS) pipeline of 850 MW, a key resource to enhance flexibility and resilience across the portfolio. 

As a first milestone in this roadmap, BNZ has confirmed the near-term deployment of 530 MW of storage capacity in Southern Europe between 2026 and 2027, with 210 MW earmarked for the Italian market.

As an integrated energy platform, BNZ actively supports the energy transition with a renewable energy pipeline of more than 2.7 GW in Europe. The BNZ strategy focuses on proximity and hybridization, developing storage projects alongside solar assets to maximise infrastructure and improve grid stability.