Photovoltaic: here is the largest solar park in Northern Italy built with the contribution of citizens (where there was a nuclear power plant)

In Trino, in the province of Vercelli, the largest solar park in Northern Italy is in operation. The city that once hosted a nuclear power plant is now a protagonist of the energy transition thanks also to the participation of citizens who contributed to the realization with crowd-funding

From this week the‘largest solar plant in Northern Italy. It is located in Trino, a Piedmontese municipality a few kilometers from Vercelli, where a nuclear power plant once operated. Citizens contributed to its construction thanks to a fundraiser.

The town of Trino, after having hosted one of the four second generation nuclear power plants in the country in the past, later replaced by the first combined cycle power plant, today establishes itself as a protagonist of the energy transition thanks to 160 thousand solar panels, with a power of 87 MW which will produce around 130 GWh clean and safe every year and which will be stored with the most modern storage systems.

The push towards solar energy comes from citizens who joined a crowd-funding campaign launched in 2022, “Scelta renewable” which had great participation. The collection objectives were, in fact, exceeded, reaching 150% of the set target. Now that the plant is operational, the citizens who participated in the initiative will receive an economic return on their investment.

Production will be able to satisfy the energy needs of as many as 47,000 familiesnot only from Trino (Trino has around 7000 inhabitants), at the same time often avoiding the release into the atmosphere of 56 thousand tons of CO2 and the use of 29 million cubic meters of gas replaced by locally produced energy.

The system uses the latest generation bifacial photovoltaic modules, which capture light on both sides to produce more energy. The panels are connected to large lithium-ion batteries, which can store energy of up to 100 MWh which will help keep electricity stable.

The operation is signed by Enel Green Power, which says it is ready to commit to the well-being of the territory and the community with various interventions planned in the area surrounding the solar park. These include reforestation projects and the restoration of historic buildings in the city’s Borgo Leri-Cavour, where Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour used to spend his summers.

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Source: Enel

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