Plenitude and Infrastrutture S.p.A. announce the start of production of a 37 MW agri-voltaic plant in Montalto di Castro (Viterbo)

Plenitude and Infrastrutture S.p.A., through the joint venture Hergo Renewables, have completed the construction of a new 37 MW agri-voltaic plant in the municipality of Montalto di Castro (Viterbo), Lazio.

The plant is operational and will produce more than 70 GWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual energy needs of over 22,000 households^[1] and will enrich Plenitude's portfolio of renewable energy production in Italy, where the company currently has more than 1GW of installed capacity. This transaction is just the first step in a broader pipeline of solar projects owned by Hergo Renewables, which extends to both Italy and Spain. 

For the project realization, Hergo Renewables also collaborated with the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR), with the aim of ensuring full respect for the biodiversity of the area where the plant is located. The NBFC, Italy's first biodiversity research centre, financed with EU NextGeneratioEU funds with the task of conserving, restoring, monitoring and enhancing Italian and Mediterranean biodiversity, is supported by around 2,000 scientists and 48 institutions, including the Ministry of University and Research, the University of Tuscia, the University of Pavia, La Sapienza University and the University of Salento.

Paolo Bellucci, Head of Renewable Energy at Plenitude in Italy, commented: ‘We are proud of the Montalto di Castro plant commissioning, one of our largest photovoltaic parks in Italy, which confirms Plenitude's commitment to renewable energy production growth in the country, in line with the company's goal of reaching 10GW of installed capacity from renewable sources by 2028’.

Pier Francesco Rimbotti, CEO of Hergo Renewables, commented: ‘We are very pleased to launch this new initiative that will produce renewable and clean energy for over 22,000 Italian households*. With this project, we are inaugurating our collaboration with the CNR within the National Biodiversity Future Centre. As part of this important initiative, together with the CNR and the University of Tuscia we will study nature-based solutions to build plants increasingly integrated into the territory’.

Prof. Maria Chiara Carrozza, President of the CNR - National Research Council, commented: ‘The completion of the Montalto di Castro agri-voltaic plant represents an important step towards a more sustainable future, combining technological innovation and environmental needs. We are happy to contribute to this initiative through the National Research Council and the National Biodiversity Future Centre, working together with Plenitude, Infrastrutture S.p.A., Hergo Renewables and the University of Tuscia to develop nature-based solutions that favour the coexistence of energy production and biodiversity protection’.

Plenitude, a company controlled by Eni, that integrates the production of electricity from renewable sources, the sale of energy and energy solutions to households and businesses, and an extensive network of charging points for electric vehicles. The company aims to reach 10GW of installed renewable capacity by 2028 and 15 GW by 2030.

Infrastrutture S.p.A. is an investor and pioneer in renewables. Founded and led by Pier Francesco Rimbotti, the company is active in Europe, Asia and Latin America, with a focus on photovoltaics, wind power, storage and biomethane. It has contributed to the development, financing and implementation of more than 1 GW of renewable capacity, saving more than 4 million tonnes of CO2. It successfully operates innovative and sustainable solutions with leading international financial and industrial investors, supporting the energy transition.

Hergo Renewables is an innovative partnership between Plenitude (65%) and Infrastrutture S.p.A (35%), established in 2022 to mark a fundamental step towards the reorganization of the Italian renewable energy sector.

[1] Calculation based on the estimated average annual electricity consumption in Italy of 2,700 kWh/year according to data published by Arera in the Annual Report 2023