OPDE Group Will Install 75MW of Solar in Italy

The OPDE Group, a solar PV manufacturer based in Spain, as just signed an agreement with local government in Piedmont, Italy to start building a series of 17 solar PV facilities for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The total capacity for all 17 plants will be 75MW.

According to the contract, OPDE Group, which is a consortium of four companies: OPDE, Mecasolar, Proinso, and Rios, will be responsible for establishing an operations and maintenance centre, installing the PV systems, and assembling the trackers and structures to be provided by Mecasolar. Additionally, the group will establish a Logistics and Research Centre to supply research facilities for the PV energy being generated in the area.

The overall project will be completed in three separate phases. The phases will be carried out from October 2009 to December 2010, and all 17 facilities will be built in Cuneo, Asti, and Alessandria. 

The first phase is expected to be finished in early 2010 and will involve seven installations for a combined capacity of 31 MW. The total investment for stage one will be around €150 million.

The second phase will begin later in 2010 and will be the largest installation with the remaining 10 facilities being completed which will give the project another 31MW of installed capacity. The second phase of investment will cost €170 million.

The third and final phase will see the construction of the Centre for Research on Photovoltaic Solar Energy and will collaborate with local technology centres and universities on research projects.