Solitek has revealed plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Benevento, Italy.
“The plant is located in Benevento in the Campania region and has an annual capacity of 600 MW,” the company’s spokesperson said. pv magazinestates that the initial investment is 50 million euros ($53.4 million).
The Lithuanian solar module maker said the facility makes solar panels for agricultural electricity applications.
“Italy’s agriculturally favorable climate provides a suitable environment for agricultural installations, which is a significant advantage compared to Northern Europe, where the operating window for agricultural installations is relatively short,” Solitek said. “Using a production facility in southern Europe also helps Solitek to avoid fluctuations in production capacity in winter, when solar panels cannot be used in northern Europe.”
The factory’s production is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024. At a later, unspecified stage, it will also produce 1 GWh of household battery capacity per year. “During the gradual development of the new production facility and after its establishment, Solitek plans to create up to 300 jobs, revitalize an underemployed area and attract more international and local investment.”
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The company currently has a 180 MW module factory in Lithuania. It recently introduced a 40-cell solar panel for agricultural applications with a power conversion efficiency of 12.6%. The module can operate at a maximum system voltage of 1500 V. Solitek said it used the panels in a 1.5 MW agrovoltaic rooftop project in Malaysia.
The Italian government is currently supporting agricultural electricity with a €1.1 billion program as part of its €220 billion post-pandemic recovery plan.
