One of the largest and most advanced energy hubs in Europe will be born in Ravenna, 20 km from the coast. It is called Agnes (Adriatic Green Network of Energy Sources) and it is the first plant in the world where offshore wind and floating photovoltaics will produce electricity in an integrated way and at the same time will be able to generate green hydrogen through electrolysis.
The ambitious plan is the result of the partnership between Saipem and Quint’x – an Italian company specialized for more than 20 years in renewable energy – and provides for investments of over one billion euros with the aim of achieving a total installed power of 620 MW, at to which 4 thousand tons of hydrogen produced every year will be added. The totally green energy district will be able to produce 1.5 TWh of energy, enough to meet the needs of 500,000 households.
In line with the European, national and regional decarbonisation objectives, we will see the creation of one of the largest wind farms in the Mediterranean, with 65 turbines with a capacity of 520 MW, highly efficient wind turbines on top of fixed foundations on the seabed and another 100 MW of floating photovoltaic panels built with the technology and experience of Moss Maritime, a Norwegian company specializing in the design of offshore and floating infrastructures.
“The project is unique in the world in terms of size and integration of different types of technology. […] in addition to the energy produced, there will also be the possibility of systematizing the skills present in the area with the aim of creating an Italian supply chain that can support the development of this type of project “said Francesco Balestrino, Renewable and Saipem’s Green Technologies Product Manager, recalling how the company has for some time been seeking its role as an increasingly leading player in the renewable energy sector.
All the conditions are in place for the Ravenna hub to become a strategic operation for Emilia-Romagna and for the whole country. In fact, the industrial background of the city is well known, especially in the naval and oil sectors, which in recent years have undergone significant downturns. “Today Ravenna has the opportunity to launch a new leadership in the renewable energy sector, exploiting the resources present in the sea off its coasts to combat climate change,” said Alberto Bernabini, CEO of Quint’x.
