The enormous and innovative photovoltaic system built on the roofs was inaugurated this morning at Rho Fiera.
In Rho the largest photovoltaic system in Italy built on the roofs
RHO FIERA – From today, the largest and most powerful photovoltaic system in Italy built on the roofs and among the top 10 in the world is in operation in the pavilions of the Fiera Milano exhibition center in Rho.
50 thousand photovoltaic panels distributed over 330 thousand meters
The infrastructure was inaugurated this morning in the presence of the governor Attilio Fontana it is created by A2A together with Fondazione Fiera – through the joint venture Fair Renew – and is made up of approximately 50 thousand photovoltaic panels, distributed over 330 thousand square meters of pavilion coverage, equal to the surface area of 45 football fields.
It will produce 21.6 GWh, equal to the consumption of approximately 7,800 families
The structure, which represents “an example of national excellence” in the field of renewable energy, will have a expected annual production of 21.6 GWh – equal to the consumption of approximately 7,800 families – which will allow us to avoid the emission of over 9,800 thousand tons of CO2 per year and a total installed power of 18 MWp. The photovoltaic system will make it possible to cover part of Fiera Milano’s needs for the exhibition center in Rho, while the residual portion of the green energy generated will be fed into the grid.
The A2A CEO: “Unicum in Italy”
“This project is an important technological milestone for the development of renewables and a confirmation of A2A’s key role in favor of the country’s energy transition. An infrastructure in line with the strategy of our Industrial Plan to 2035, which includes investments of 22 billion euros also intended for the development and strengthening of networks, essential to accompany our cities on the path towards decarbonisation – he declares Renato MazzonciniCEO of A2A –
The Fiera Milano facility, currently unique in Italy, constitutes a replicable model for urban transformation. We will continue to work to face the challenges of the future, consolidating our commitment to the renewable energy sector.”
The President of the Fiera Milano Foundation
“The construction of this plant is part of the investments of the industrial plan which includes, among its strategic routes, initiatives and projects aimed at supporting the ecological transition of the exhibition and conference districts, investing in highly sustainable and innovative infrastructures and solutions – he explains Enrico PazzaliPresident of the Fiera Milano Foundation.
“The system we are presenting today confirms the Foundation’s role as a proactive shareholder in making Fiera Milano increasingly competitive and sustainable with the modernization of its structures also through new business opportunities, as in the case of the adaptation of the pavilions in view of the Games Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2026”.
“With photovoltaics the Olympics will be almost autonomous”
“This system will make it possible to make all the energy management of the Olympics, of the competitions that will take place on these systems on the two platforms, speed skating and women’s ice hockey almost autonomous”, stated President Pazzali. Looking to the future, in addition to the use of the spaces for the Games, Pazzali observed that “this new renovation of pavilions 13 and 15 will obviously allow us to have a site that does not exist in Milan, of almost 35 thousand m2 with the possibility of being able to host events that one would never have thought of hosting.”
For example, he said “I can think of indoor athletics or tennis or musical events that require such large spaces, concerts with 30 thousand people indoors or 10 thousand seats. Many elements that can open up the opportunity for the Fair to sell in this line many events activities”.
Work on the plant started in 2020
The plant, whose construction work started in 2020, was completed in three phases: in April 2022 the first part was delivered, 12 sections for an area of 200 thousand m2, with a power of 8.2 MWp and an annual energy production of approximately 10 GWh; the second phase, concluded in February this year, saw the construction of a further 5 sections over 60 thousand m2, with 4 MWp of power and a production of approximately 5 GWh; with the last phase, which marks the completion of the work, 4 sections were added, with 5.8 MWp of power and a production of 7 GWh.
Furthermore, since 2020, 100% of the electricity used by Fiera Milano Congressi for the Allianz MiCo Congress Center in Milan comes from renewable sources covered by the relevant guarantee of origin certificates. Furthermore, with its approximately 22 GWh, the system installed in Fiera Milano is the first in terms of efficiency among those of the European exhibition centers and is positioned ahead of Barcelona (5.9 GWh), Stuttgart (4.3) and Munich (2 ,7): a record that confirms the Fiera Milano Group’s attention towards sustainability and the energy transition.
