Photovoltaic power plant to be built in Southern Italy

24 September 2010

AES SOLE Italia, fully controlled by AES Solar Energy limited, a joint venture between AES Corporation and Riverstone Holdings LLC, has chosen Schneider Electric as the main EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor for the construction, operation and maintenance of an ambitious solar energy project in Puglia region (Italy).

The photovoltaic power plant will have a yearly power output of 56GWh, which corresponds to the requirements of a town of 40,000 inhabitants, without the 28,000 tons of carbon emissions an equivalent fossil fuel-fired power plant would produce. With a total power of 43MW peak, the park will consist of 600,000 solar panels over 250 acres.

"With its comprehensive and integrated portfolio in energy management, Schneider Electric is the only market operator to provide end-to-end management of renewable array intelligence in accordance withf the special requirements and needs of the customer, said Julio Rodriguez, Executive Vice-President, Power Global & EMEAS Business, Schneider Electric. One of the key elements of success is Schneider Electric’s ability to leverage its global organization in support to its core project team in terms of design, optimization of the architecture and solution and management of risks."

Schneider Electric will implement an integrated, end-to-end solution and will act as the sole contact for plant management for AES SOLE Italia. Its products and services cover every requirement, from generation to the grid, including: engineering studies, project & construction management; supply and erection of mechanical structures; inverter substations and grid connection substations; general monitoring system for the power plant; fencing, access control, video surveillance; operation and maintenance services.

Through its operating and maintenance services, Schneider Electric will guarantee the global performance of the system, i.e. the number of KWh actually supplied to the grid by the power plant according to the energy produced by the solar panels. In addition, the Group will also guarantee the long-term availability of the installation, which directly depends on the means made available by Schneider Electric in Italy (spare parts, 24/24 breakdown service, preventive and curative maintenance, etc.).