The electricity generated by the facility is sold under a long-term power purchase agreement with Swiss utility BKW AG. The project and approval process – typically lengthy and complex in Italy – began in 2021, when battery energy storage systems were not widely sought after and costs remained relatively high. “For these reasons, we did not give serious consideration to integrating battery storage. The project was planned, approved and built without it,” Sandro Esposito, Managing Director of CCE Italy, told pv Europe.
Battery storage – co‑located and multi-use projects gaining ground
“Naturally, a co-located BESS is now the first thing we will implement at our Montalto di Castro plant, as well as in other projects with a similar background that we are developing. We hope that prices for this technology will become more in line with market needs,” added Jörg Menyesch and Martin Dürnberger, CEOs of CCE Holding.
CCE completes subsidy-free solar park in Italy
According to the company, factors including robust risk management, an ambitious decarbonisation strategy and active engagement with local stakeholders contributed to the Montalto di Castro project receiving an above-average ESG rating in the 2025 GRESB Infrastructure Development Asset Benchmark. The plant forms part of CCE’s development pipeline of approximately 3.9 GW in Italy. (hcn)
