ABB wins $50 million solar order in Italy

ABB has won a $50m (£31m) order from Phenix Renewables to deliver a 24 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant in Lazio, central Italy.

Once connected to the grid, the Phenix solar plant will supply up to 35 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity a year, avoiding the generation of over 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual emission of over 10,000 European cars.

ABB will be responsible for the design, engineering, erection, civil works and commissioning of the plant. ABB's modular EBoP (electrical balance of plant) concept will enable fast track execution within four months.

The 24.2 MW plant is based on single-axis trackers, which precisely follow the position of the sun to position PV panels at the best angle for maximum energy production. Key ABB products in this project include low- and medium-voltage switchgear, transformers, cables, the automation and control system and protection equipment. ABB will also build a 150 kilovolt (kV) substation equipped with the latest monitoring and control system to facilitate reliable and efficient integration of the electrical power generated by the solar panels into the grid. The PV panels will be supplied by the Norwegian company, REC (Renewable Energy Corporation) in consortium with ABB.

"ABB technologies are playing a key role in facilitating both the generation and integration of renewable energies into our power grids," said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division. "Efficiency, reliability, and minimizing the impact of electric power generation on our climate are key drivers in this project. Solar power has an important role to play in our future energy mix."

In 2010, ABB executed 16 photovoltaic power plants in southern Europe. The plants range in capacity from 1 to 24 MW, and are located mainly in Italy and in Spain with a total installed capacity of about 100 MW.