The solar PV partnership agreement has been approved by the regional executive, who has pledged to speed up the bureaucratic processes for its implementation, while the OPDE ensures its stable presence in the Piedmont region during the next few years. The OPDE Group hopes to create 125 new jobs, from a total of 375 direct and indirect posts which will become available from the ambitious solar PV project, meaning an important economic driver for the region of Piedmont.
The project submitted by the OPDE involves a three-stage development. The first, planned to be completed in early 2010 – provides the implementation of seven solar PV farms that will obtain 31 MW of installed capacity. These plants will be located at CN11c: Fossano (Cuneo) with 5.6 MWp; CN10: Ceva Lesegno (Cuneo) with 7.3 MWp; AT01: Bubbio (Asti) with 5.3 MWp; AL03: Quattordio (Alessandria) with 1.9 MWp; AL04a: Casale Monferrato (Alessandria) with 1.9 MWp; AL04b: Rosignano Monferrato (Alessandria) with 5.0 MWp; AL07a: Quargnento (Alessandria) with 4.0 MWp; Total 2009: 31 MW representing a total investment of EUR150 million.
Similarly, in this first phase the operation and maintenance centre of the company RÍOS- part of the group- will come into operation as well as MECASOLAR´s solar trackers and fixed structures in Turin (capital of Piedmont), which will also act as a logistics centre and from where the OPDE intends to supply the solar PV market in France, Germany and Eastern European countries.
The second phase will take place in 2010 with the construction of a further ten solar power plants with an installed capacity of 45 MW, representing a total investment in this second phase of EUR170 million in the region. The third phase will focus on collaboration with technology centres and universities to launch a Centre for Research on Photovoltaic Solar Energy.
