The possibility of realizing it has been discussed for some time offshore wind and photovoltaic parksthat is, built offshore. These systems are more efficient in producing energy than traditional installations on land or near the coast.
Italy is also making progress in this direction: after the first marine wind farm with a fixed foundation, i.e. anchored to the seabed, inaugurated off the coast of Tarantoseveral projects are in the process of being approved. Among these, an initiative planned for off the coast of Calabriawhich involves the construction of 7 solar platforms, 28 wind turbines and a storage system of the energy produced.
In this article we will delve deeper into the technical details of the project, his advantages and we’ll see environmental impact report.
The potential of offshore photovoltaic wind farms
First of all, let’s start by clarifying what offshore wind and photovoltaic parks are and why they can be more efficient than traditional ones on land.
THE advantages there are mainly two: in the open sea the wind is more powerful and constantbecause it is not shielded by natural or artificial barriers, so the turbines can produce more energy. Even thesolar irradiation is higher, so the photovoltaic panels perform better. Furthermore, the further you go from the coast, the lower thelandscape pollution of the plant. In fact, as reported in this in-depth article on offshore parks, a medium-sized plant installed a dozen kilometers from the coast would have a size of just one and a half centimeters in its field of vision.
And in Italyhave any offshore wind-photovoltaic parks been installed? In our country, the situation is still in its infancy, but there are many projects awaiting approval.
What we know about the MIO project’s photovoltaic wind farm
Now that we have understood the potential of offshore plants, let’s see what the technical details of the project are MY (Mediterranean Italian Offshore), expected off the Ionian coast of Calabria, which affects the municipalities of Corigliano, Rossano, Mirto, Calopezzati and Pietrapaola.
The facility is expected to cover a total area of 56 km2, with a 33 km submarine cable connecting it to the coast.
According to the project, there will be three main technologies:
–28 wind turbinesfor a wind capacity of 420 MW
–7 photovoltaic platformsfor a total installed power of 70 MW
-A storage system to store energy to be exploited at times when demand is greatest
The energy produced in one year would be 1244 GWhwhich is equivalent to the needs of a medium-sized city, for a whole year.
Always according to the project, the platforms on which the electrical and photovoltaic systems are installed are interconnected, forming real networks stable floating islands. If you are wondering whether contact with water is not dangerous, know that these platforms have been specially designed higher than the sea water, in order to protect the systems from possible wave motion.
The wind turbines, however, will be positioned on floating triangular structureswhich are anchored to the seabed via three cables.
Another interesting technology is represented by storage systemswhich are called BESS, acronym for battery energy storage system. These are electrical energy storage systems, which work like large batteries. BESSs are becoming increasingly popular as a system integrated with renewable energy production sources and are particularly efficient in guaranteeing the safety and stability of the electricity system.
In this project, in particular, the BESS system will have a storage capacity of 400 MWh and will be placed in the area planned for the Electrical Transformation Substation, where the electrical transformation for its distribution takes place, near the landing on land.
When will it be built in Calabria and what will the environmental impact be?
But when it will be built this photovoltaic wind farm and, above all, when could we see it active? The forecast is that it will be active starting from 2028.
The project, financed by Green Arrow Capital, is currently awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE). In fact, for projects of this kind, a construction and operation authorization is required, following an analysis of the environmental impact of the project.
It’s right on theenvironmental impact of this work that we would like to focus on, taking as reference the documentation presented by the project promoters to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, which can be consulted directly from the Ministry’s website.
In the documents presented, it emerges that predictions have been made of the impact on biodiversityon the backdropbut also on human health and on landscape. For each of these items, a monitoring phase is envisaged, both in the installation phase and in the operation phase, for the first few years.
In short, what emerges regarding biodiversity is that the impact will be greater in construction phases, especially during construction, due to more invasive activities. In the exercise phasethe situation will stabilize, thanks to the creation of a protected area with artificial reefs which will encourage the growth of biodiversity.
It is undeniable that from the point of view landscape wind turbines, even if far from the coast, will have an impact. But globally, the benefits come from producing energy from renewable sources.
