Energy Vault’s Digital Vault Sulcis Gains Strategic National Status for AI Infrastructure Development in Italy
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV), a global energy infrastructure company focused on supporting grid reliability and next-generation artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure, has announced a major development for its planned Digital Vault Sulcis project in Sardinia. The Italian Council of Ministers has formally designated the investment program as being of pre-eminent national strategic interest, marking an important milestone in the advancement of the company’s European AI infrastructure strategy.
The designation was proposed by Adolfo Urso, Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and received support from Alessandra Todde, President of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia. By recognizing Digital Vault Sulcis as strategically important to the country, the Italian Government has underscored the potential role of the development in strengthening national digital infrastructure, supporting artificial intelligence growth and contributing to the long-term industrial transformation of the Sulcis region.
For Energy Vault, the decision represents more than a symbolic endorsement. The strategic designation is expected to provide a more coordinated and accelerated route through the remaining administrative and authorization processes required before construction can begin. As the project moves forward, the Italian Government is expected to appoint a special Government Commissioner who will work in coordination with relevant regional authorities to oversee administrative activities and support the accelerated implementation of the investment program.
A key objective of this process will be to help advance Digital Vault Sulcis toward the required single authorization and coordinate the various administrative and regulatory activities associated with a project of this scale. Energy Vault believes that the new framework will help reduce development complexity and support the transition of the project from planning and development into construction and long-term commercial operations.
At the center of the Digital Vault Sulcis program is the planned development of an Edge AI data center with capacity of up to approximately 30 MW. The facility is intended to be integrated with renewable energy generation and energy storage infrastructure at the former Carbosulcis coal mining complex in Nuraxi Figus, Sardinia.
The project is part of a broader master plan that could ultimately transform the site into a major technology and energy infrastructure hub. Energy Vault’s development strategy is based on a phased approach, beginning with approximately 30 MW of AI-focused IT capacity. Over time, the company expects the campus to have the potential to expand toward approximately 50 MW to 60 MW of IT capacity, supported by up to 100 MW of total site power capacity.
The combination of AI computing infrastructure with renewable generation, energy storage and advanced energy management reflects the changing requirements of the global data center market. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and high-performance computing is increasing demand for large amounts of reliable electricity and suitable development sites. As a result, access to powered land and resilient energy infrastructure has become one of the most important factors determining where new AI data centers can be developed.
Energy Vault is positioning Digital Vault Sulcis to address these challenges by combining its experience in energy infrastructure with the growing requirements of digital infrastructure operators. The company sees the project as an example of how energy development expertise can increasingly be applied to the deployment of large-scale AI computing facilities.
Over the past year, Energy Vault has continued advancing several important aspects of the project. Development work has included progress in site planning, land rights, engineering, grid interconnection, commercial engagement and broader project preparation. Together, these activities are intended to reduce development risk and improve the project’s readiness as it approaches the next stages of regulatory review and implementation.
The company is currently targeting the start of construction in 2028, subject to the completion of final approvals and other remaining development milestones. Commercial operations are expected to begin in 2030 if the project proceeds according to the anticipated development schedule.
Marco Terrzzuin, Chief Revenue Officer of Energy Vault, described the Italian Government’s decision as an important step in the company’s strategy to expand its infrastructure activities in Europe.
“The designation of Digital Vault Sulcis as a program of pre-eminent national strategic interest is an important milestone for the project and a meaningful step forward in our European AI infrastructure strategy,” Terrzzuin said.
According to Energy Vault, the recognition reflects the strategic role that the planned infrastructure could play within Italy’s expanding digital economy. It also establishes a more coordinated pathway for navigating the remaining development and authorization requirements associated with the project.
Luca Manzella, Vice President of Business Development at Energy Vault, emphasized that Digital Vault Sulcis represents an expansion of the company’s broader Build, Own & Operate infrastructure strategy.
“Digital Vault Sulcis is also a strong example of how our Build, Own & Operate model is expanding beyond energy storage into powered AI infrastructure,” Manzella said.
The company is bringing together several elements that are becoming increasingly interconnected in the development of modern digital infrastructure. These include land, electricity supply, energy storage, digital infrastructure development and long-term asset ownership. By integrating these components into a single development platform, Energy Vault aims to support the creation of critical infrastructure capable of operating at significant scale.
Energy Vault believes that the progress achieved to date, together with support from the Italian Government and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, will help systematically reduce project risk as Digital Vault Sulcis advances toward construction and long-term commercial operations.
The development represents an evolution of Energy Vault’s previously announced plans for the former Nuraxi Figus mining complex. Energy Vault and Carbosulcis have been working together to explore opportunities for redeveloping the former coal mining site into a next-generation technology and energy hub.
As market demand for artificial intelligence computing capacity has continued to increase, the vision for the development has expanded. The project is now intended to address the growing need for AI infrastructure, reliable energy systems and increased digital sovereignty.
Digital sovereignty has become an increasingly important consideration for governments and technology markets. Countries are seeking to strengthen domestic control over critical digital infrastructure, computing resources and data-processing capacity as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into economic activity, public services, industrial operations and national infrastructure.
Digital Vault Sulcis is expected to serve as Energy Vault’s flagship AI infrastructure campus in Europe. The company intends to combine powered land with resilient energy infrastructure, advanced energy management capabilities and modular AI data center capacity.
This integrated approach could allow the development to respond to changing market requirements over time. Rather than relying on a single fixed configuration, the phased master plan is designed to provide flexibility for future expansion as demand for AI and high-performance computing capacity continues to evolve.
The project is also aligned with Italy’s broader objectives related to artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced technology investment. The Italian Government has identified digital sovereignty, AI development and the attraction of high-technology investment as important priorities within its strategic approach to data center development.
By locating the project in Sardinia and redeveloping a former coal mining complex, Energy Vault also sees Digital Vault Sulcis as an opportunity to support long-term industrial transformation in the region. The conversion of former industrial and energy sites into technology and clean energy infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important development model as countries transition away from legacy fossil fuel assets.
The Sulcis region has historically been associated with mining and energy activities. The redevelopment of the Nuraxi Figus site into an AI and energy infrastructure campus could therefore represent a new phase in the economic use of the location, combining digital technology with renewable energy and energy storage.
For Energy Vault, the project also demonstrates the broader evolution of its infrastructure platform. The company has developed experience in the deployment of energy storage and other energy infrastructure assets and is now extending those capabilities into the rapidly expanding market for AI infrastructure.
The growth of artificial intelligence is creating a significant need for new data center capacity, but the development of such facilities increasingly depends on more than the availability of buildings or telecommunications networks. Access to sufficient electrical capacity, grid connections, energy storage and resilient power systems can be equally important.
Energy Vault believes its experience in developing, building, owning and operating energy assets provides a foundation for addressing these requirements. By combining energy infrastructure development with digital infrastructure, the company is seeking to position itself in a market where the availability of reliable power is becoming a critical factor in bringing new AI computing capacity online.
The Digital Vault Sulcis project reflects this convergence between the energy and technology sectors. AI infrastructure requires significant and dependable electricity resources, while energy developers are increasingly looking for new long-term sources of demand for power and infrastructure services.
As the project moves through its next stages, Energy Vault plans to continue working closely with the Italian Government, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Carbosulcis and other relevant stakeholders. Future work will focus on progressing through the remaining development, administrative and authorization milestones required to bring the project closer to construction.
With its new designation as a project of pre-eminent national strategic interest, Digital Vault Sulcis has reached a significant stage in its development. The project now has additional institutional recognition as Italy seeks to expand its digital capabilities, support artificial intelligence investment and strengthen the infrastructure required for the country’s next generation of technology-driven economic growth.
If Energy Vault achieves its planned development milestones, the project could become a major example of how former industrial sites can be transformed into integrated energy and digital infrastructure campuses. Combining renewable energy, storage, advanced power management and AI computing capacity, Digital Vault Sulcis represents Energy Vault’s effort to expand its role beyond traditional energy infrastructure and into the growing global market for powered AI and high-performance computing facilities.
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