ABB has won orders worth $33 million from Emmeesseenne, a special purpose company financed by a leading investment fund focused on renewable energies, to supply three high-efficiency turnkey photovoltaic power plants near the city of Foggia in south-east Italy. The orders were booked in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the plants are expected to be in operation by the third quarter of 2011.
The three plants, De Nittis 1, 2 and 3, will be located on adjacent sites and will have a combined generating capacity of 39 megawatts (MW). By substituting fossil fuel generation, the plants will displace 33,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year, equivalent to emissions of about 13,000 European cars.
ABB will supply the plants with a complete electrical and control solution, including grid connections. The solution is based on a proven fast-track concept, in which preassembled and factory-tested electrical balance of plant modules are shipped to the site for fast and flexible deployment. Advanced control and system optimization technologies will enable the plants to operate at high efficiency. All of the power and automation equipment will be optimized to increase productivity and reduce power losses. The solution also includes specially designed technologies for more accurate control and remote monitoring of the plants.
“ABB’s expertise and proven track record in executing large-scale solar power projects on a turnkey basis was a key success factor said Franz Josef Mengede, head of ABB’s Power Generation business within the Power Systems division. “The solution is based on our highly successful modular concept for photovoltaic power plants, which offers customization, fast execution and a high level of productivity.”
ABB is currently completing a similar multi-plant EPC contract for the same customer. The four photovoltaic power plants, collectively known as Macchia Rotonda, are also in the Foggia area and have a combined generating capacity of 15 MW.