The new plant was also built thanks to those citizens who contributed to the financing of the work, through the "Renewable Choice" crowdfunding campaign that was launched by Enel Green Power in 2022. The success of the campaign made it possible to meet and far exceed the fundraising goal (demand was 50% greater than the set target). With the commissioning of the plant, the citizens who joined the initiative will receive a return on their invested capital.
Solar park + storage in Trino, Italy
Solar park + storage in Trino, Italy
Operational
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The plant
Trino solar park + storage
The solar park in Trino, in the municipality of the same name in the province of Vercelli, Piedmont, is the largest in northern Italy. It stands on a plot of about 130 hectares, the equivalent of 185 soccer pitches. It’s also adjacent to the former "Galileo Ferraris" thermoelectric power plant, which closed in 2013. The cooling towers at the old plant are still visible, thanks in part to their artistic lighting.
The plant uses about 160,000 double-sided photovoltaic modules with state-of-the-art technology to maximize renewable production. 3,096 trackers enable the panels to "chase" the Sun: their tilt changes according to its position.
The Trino park is integrated with a lithium-ion battery storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 25 MW and a storage capacity of 100 MWh. This will ensure the adequacy of the power system and provide ancillary services to the Grid, i.e., those services that are necessary for ensuring the security of the entire power system.
The solar park has a capacity of nearly 87 MW for an annual production of about 130 GWh. In terms of environmental impact, this means that the energy needs of about 47,000 households can be met by green energy. It will avoid the emission of 56,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere and the use of 29 million cubic meters of gas, which will be replaced with locally produced renewable energy.
Technology
Ground-based solar photovoltaics + batteries
Status
Operational
Capacity
87 MW + 25 MW of electrochemical storage
Emissions avoided
Approximately 56,000 tons of CO2 per year
Gas use avoided
About 29 million cubic meters of gas per year
Energy requirement
About 47,000 Italian families per year*.
*Estimate made assuming the average annual consumption of a typical family.
Timeline
Milestone
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Impact on the local area
The construction of the solar park led to the implementation of major conservation and restoration work on some of the buildings in Borgo Leri Cavour. This is where the summer residence of Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour (a key figure in Italy’s “Risorgimento” in the nineteenth century) once stood. The project also led to the creation of a new wetland area and a perimeter hedge along the plant fences. Wooded areas inside and adjacent to the planting area that are strategic for the area's fauna and flora were upgraded.
Last but not least, significant reforestation work was carried out on substantial public and private land.
Renewable Choice
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