Record-Setting Sicily: Fénix, the Largest Photovoltaic Plant in Italy, Goes into Operation

Sicily strengthens its role in the renewable energy landscape with the launch of the largest photovoltaic plant ever built in Italy. The new solar park Fénix, which we reported on in 2024, developed by the Spanish company Iberdrola, has an installed capacity of 243 megawatts, setting a new national record.

The plant is located between the municipalities of Centuripe, Paternò, and Belpasso, in the provinces of Enna and Catania, and represents a significant step in the growth of clean energy production in the country. According to estimates, the park will be able to produce almost 400,000 megawatt-hours of electricity each year, a quantity sufficient to meet the equivalent energy needs of over 140,000 homes.

With this achievement, Fénix surpasses the previous record held by a 170-megawatt photovoltaic plant located in Viterbo, Lazio, officially becoming the largest in Italian territory. The project uses over 413,000 bifacial solar panels, a technology that captures light from both the front and back sides of the modules, thus increasing the energy output compared to traditional panels.

How was the new solar panel plant in Sicily realized?

To connect the new plant to the electrical grid, 26 kilometers of medium-voltage lines and another 9 kilometers of high-voltage infrastructures were built, essential for distributing the produced energy. During the construction phases, the project involved over 500 workers at peak times.

A significant portion of the energy that will be produced has already been allocated through long-term supply contracts with Italian companies. These agreements allow businesses to benefit from more predictable energy prices and provide developers with greater economic stability to finance new investments. The realization of the plant was supported by the European Investment Bank, which contributed to the funding of the work.

Moreover, the new park confirms the increasingly important role of southern Italy, and in particular Sicily, in the development of large-scale photovoltaics, favored by the high availability of sunlight and suitable areas for building large plants. Italy now boasts over 40 gigawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity and aims to double this figure by 2030.