Enel Green Power has begun operations at a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in northern Italy with an installed capacity of 87MW.

Located in Trino, a municipality in the province of Vercelli, the facility is equipped with 160,000 PV panels.

It is expected to generate 130 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, meeting the energy needs of 47,000 households.

The plant is expected to offset the emission of 56,000t of CO₂ each year, thereby contributing to reduced environmental impact and advancements in Italy's renewable energy sector.

The plant's advanced bifacial photovoltaic modules are designed to optimise renewable energy generation.

The project is complemented by a 25MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS), which has a storage capacity of 100 megawatt hours.

Enel Green Power also disclosed plans for an even larger storage system at the Trino site.

The initiative is part of a broader investment strategy, with the group allocating more than €12bn globally up to 2026 to bolster renewable energy development.

The Trino photovoltaic plant project received local support through the "Scelta Rinnovabile" crowdfunding campaign.

The company stated: “Thanks to widespread participation, the fundraising target was met and vastly exceeded, with the final amount raised being 150% of the initial target.

“Following plant commissioning, the local residents involved in the initiative will begin to recoup their investment.”

Enel Green Power also revealed that its global emission-free electricity generation achieved a new high of 82% in the first quarter of 2024.