The 100MW Delfini solar photovoltaic (PV) park was developed by solar energy company Cero Generation in Greece.
Officially announced in July 2022, the project plays a significant role in Greece’s transition towards green energy, expediting the country’s efforts to meet its 2030 target of producing 70% of domestic energy from renewable sources.
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The project’s construction commenced in 2022 and achieved commercial operation in September 2024.
The Delfini Solar Project is the first renewable project in Greece to benefit from the Next Generation EU Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The Delfini Solar Project can generate 157 gigawatt-hours annually, powering the equivalent of 58,140 homes and reducing 65,300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
Location of Delfini solar PV park
The Delfini solar PV park is located in the Prosotsani Drama area of Greece in the East Macedonia and Thrace region.
Delfini solar power project details
The Delfini project is equipped with Trina Solar’s bifacial Vertex DEG21C.20 modules, with financial backing secured via a PPA. The installation comprises 153,600 bifacial PV modules, split between 121,800 units of 650W capacity and 31,800 units of 655W capacity.
The bifacial design is particularly advantageous as it allows for up to a 25% increase in energy output due to the panels’ ability to generate power from their rear side. With an efficiency reaching 21.6%, these modules are designed to optimise energy production and contribute to minimising the levelised cost of electricity.
The facility design incorporates 20 transformers, with ten rated at 6,400kVA and another ten at 3,200kVA, operating at low voltage/medium voltage levels. Additionally, a 90/110MVA transformer will facilitate medium voltage/high voltage conversion.
Connectivity to the high-voltage substation is achieved through a 2.5km 33kV underground cable, while integration with the power grid is established via a 9.7km 150kV double-circuit overhead transmission line.
Financing details of Delfini solar project
The project is financed by Piraeus Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Piraeus Financial Holdings.
Piraeus Bank received legal advice from Norton Rose Fullbright, a UK-based law firm, as well as technical advice from TÜV Nord, a technical service provider based in Germany, and insurance advice from Marsh, an insurance broker and risk adviser.
Cero Generation was advised by UK-based law firms Herbert Smith Freehills and Watson Farley & Williams.
Power purchase agreement details
The project is supported by a long-term private PPA signed with Axpo Solutions, a renewable energy producer based in Switzerland and owned by Axpo Holding. This makes it one of the first solar projects in Greece with a private PPA.
The agreement provides final consumers with access to affordable and clean energy at a time when many countries in Europe, including Greece, are struggling to address sharply rising power bills caused by increasing gas prices.
It will help to deliver cheaper energy to the grid while ensuring subsidy-free revenue assurance for the asset.
Contractors involved
Ameresco Energy Hellas, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ameresco, and Sunel Group, an engineering, procurement and construction contractor for energy projects, were selected as the main contractors for the project in August 2022.
Development and investment company Faria Group provided Cero Generation with technical and licensing support for the project.
The solar modules for the project will be supplied by Trina Solar, a manufacturer of PV solar modules.
Sungrow Power Supply, a specialist in photovoltaic technology, supplied the inverters and MV stations for the solar project.
Mevaco has contributed the metallic structures required for the mounting system, and Inaccess by Power Factors has delivered a state-of-the-art SCADA system to enhance the project’s operational capabilities.
