BNZ will build a 53MW solar PV plant in Viterbo – Italy
BNZ, an independent power producer (IPP) that develops, builds and operates solar PV projects, has obtained authorization in the Region of Lazio to start the construction of a solar PV plant in the Province of Viterbo – Italy with an installed capacity of 53MWp. BNZ expects the plant to be operational in 2023.
This will be BNZ’s second plant to be built in Italy, a country in which it expects to install an approximate capacity of 500MWp by 2024. In December 2021, BNZ announced the authorization to build another solar PV plant in Lazio, with an installed power of 45MWp. The aggregated fully permitted capacity of BNZ in Italy stands at 98MWp.
The electricity production of this project would be able to supply the annual electricity needs of around 17,000 people, the equivalent of one tenth of Perugia’s population. The clean energy produced at this plant will avoid 24,670 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per year, which is about 60,000 Milano – Lecce roundtrip flights. In addition, BNZ estimates that it will create between 300 and 410 direct and indirect jobs by 2024.
The production of reliable and affordable photovoltaic solar energy located in our country will avoid the importation of fossil fuels such as natural gas from third countries. This will result in greater energy independence and security of supply, in addition to improving environmental sustainability. For example, the energy produced by this BNZ project will save the use of 15,48 million m3 per year of natural gas that were to be consumed by combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants to generate the same amount of energy.
BNZ is committed to environmental and social progress of the local communities where the company installs its plants. Therefore, in addition to the positive economic impact of the facilities on the local community and its compliance with the maximum environmental criteria, BNZ will develop agrivoltaic projects related to the cultivation of olive trees and the installation of beehives at the plant.
Managing Director of BNZ, Luis Selva, said: “This announcement represents an important new milestone for BNZ, since the Italian market has great potential in the development of renewable energies, especially solar PV”.
Board Member of BNZ, Jordi Francesch, explained: “The development of this clean energy project will contribute to promoting the energy transition in Italy and to move towards a low emissions economy, which are objectives of great importance for our stakeholders and for society as a whole”.
BNZ has been advised by the Italian Energy and Infrastructure team of Orrick –led by Carlo Montella and Andrea Gentili– in the legal authorization process for this project.
