Built without occupying new land, the plant will produce 2.4 GWh of green energy per year
 

Last October saw the inauguration of a new photovoltaic system built on the roof of the plant of Antonio Merloni Pressure Vessels, leader inEurope in the production of LPG storage cylinders. Made up of 3,872 latest generation panels, installed on the 16,684 m2 of the factory's roof, it is one of the largest roofed systems in the Marche and has a maximum power of 1.82 MW.
 

Built by Rovale – a company controlled by Italgen, green energy company of the Italmobiliare Group, and owned by Greenenergy, a Quiris group company operating in the sector of energy efficiency and the production of electricity from renewable sources - the system has an estimatedenergy production of 2.4 GWh (gigawatt/hour) per year, equal to the annual consumption of around 950 families, with a saving of around 770tonnes of CO2 emissions. Approximately 65% of the energy produced will be used to power the factory, while the rest will be fed into thenational grid.
 

A choice made by Antonio Merloni Pressure Vessels in the name not only of sustainability, but also of efficiency. The costs of carrying out the project are in fact borne entirely by Rovale, which owns the photovoltaic system, for which it ensures 24-hour monitoring 365 days a year, as wellas constant maintenance. In addition to not incurring any construction costs, Antonio Merloni Pressure Vessels will earn from the transfer ofsurface rights and roof easements and will save on energy costs by stipulating a supply contract with Italgen at a discounted price for theelectricity produced in Matelica.
 

“Over the last four years we have invested intechnologies and structures to project this historic company into the future - explains Paolo Sparvoli,Sole Director of Antonio Merloni Pressure Vessels. The new photovoltaic system represents an important piece of this development strategy. The type of activity carried on by our company, which operates ina sector with high energy consumption, the unpredictable fluctuations in energy costs and the emission containment policies implemented by theEuropean Union have led us to focus on a renewable and totally green source to power the plant. And to dothis we have chosen a reliable partner like Rovale,who by exploiting the space available on the factoryroof has created a system capable of satisfyingapproximately half of our energy needs.”
 

“Italgen inaugurates its fourth photovoltaic system in less than ayear, taking another important step in its path of growth and diversification of production sources, explained Luca Musicco, CEO and General Manager of Italgen. Due to the excellence ofthe technologies applied and the size of Matelica's photovoltaic system, it is a point of reference for this type of installation not only at a regional level, but also nationally. It is also a perfect example of how, by combining foresight and expertise, reductions can be achieved in both emissions and costs, with important benefits for both the climate and for the business.”
 

“I am very proud of this project – explains Umberto Risso,Chairman of Verdenergia – because it is an important new step in Verdenergia's growth path, and because it represents a virtuous example of collaboration between the public and private sectors. The plant is in fact the result of cooperation between Verdenergia, Italgen and Antonio Merloni Pressure Vessels, three companies operating in the energy sector, and the public administration, which followed the initiative closely, understood its value and granted the necessary authorisations very quickly. Exactly what is needed to reach the ambitious goal of 70 new GW of photovoltaic and wind power installed in Italy by 2030.”