An innovative energy transition and redevelopment project has been successfully completed with the full support of local authorities and the community in Trino, Vercelli, Piedmont. Enel Green Power has constructed the largest operating solar farm in northern Italy on the site, equipped with state-of-the-art storage technology. Trino, historically significant for Italian energy, was home to a second-generation nuclear power plant until 1987 and Italy’s first combined cycle power plant. Today, the site hosts 160,000 photovoltaic panels generating zero-emission electricity where the cooling towers of the old thermoelectric plant, closed in 2013, still stand.
The solar farm has an installed capacity of about 87 MW and will produce approximately 130 GWh annually. This green energy will meet the needs of roughly 47,000 households, preventing the emission of 56,000 tons of CO2 and saving 29 million cubic meters of gas, replaced by locally produced renewable energy.
The plant employs advanced bifacial photovoltaic modules to maximize energy generation and integrates a 25 MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) with a storage capacity of 100 MWh. This system ensures the proper operation of the electrical system and provides ancillary services to the grid, with plans for a larger storage system to be installed soon.
Trino continues to play a crucial role in energy generation with a sustainable approach, aligning with Italian, European, and global emission reduction and decarbonization targets. This project was partly funded by local residents through the ‘Scelta Rinnovabile’ (‘Renewable Choice’) crowdfunding campaign launched by Enel Green Power in 2022. The campaign exceeded its fundraising target by 150%, and residents involved will begin to recoup their investment after the plant’s commissioning.
Enel Green Power’s commitment to the local community includes initiatives such as reforestation and the restoration of historic buildings in Borgo Leri-Cavour, the former summer residence of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour.
The construction of this plant is part of Enel’s broader strategy to promote renewable energy. The Group plans to invest more than 12 billion euros globally over the next three years. Enel’s global ‘emission-free’ electricity generation reached a record 82% in the first quarter of 2024.
