Cero Generation’s 70MW Italian agrivoltaic project goes live, backed by agreements with Philips and HEINEKEN 

16 November 2023
News
  • Cero Generation’s 70MW agrivoltaic solar PV project in Province of Latina in Lazio, Italy has entered operation  
  • The project is backed by 10-year virtual Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with Philips and HEINEKEN, making it the first solar project in the country to have a multinational consortium off-taker  
  • As an agrivoltaic plant that combines agriculture with solar power generation, it will produce enough clean energy to power the equivalent of over 47,000 homes while enhancing sustainable food production  
  • The project will contribute to Italy’s goals to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 20301, and support the net zero ambitions of Cero Generation, Philips and HEINEKEN 
  • As one of the largest solar projects in Italy and with an innovative financing approach, Pontinia is at the forefront of the shift to subsidy-free solar PV projects in the country 

Cero Generation (Cero) has today announced that Pontinia, its 70MW solar PV project in Italy, has now gone live. The project is the first in Italy to have 10-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in place with a multinational consortium, made up of global brewing company HEINEKEN and global health technology company Philips.  

Located in the Province of Latina in the Lazio region of Italy, Pontinia will generate enough renewable electricity to allow HEINEKEN and Philips to together power the equivalent of over 47,000 homes and avoid around 40,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.  

Pontinia is also amongst the first in Italy to combine solar power generation with farming (agrivoltaics). Approximately 65% of the 135 hectares that the project sits on will be used for agricultural crops. Cero is collaborating with a social farm, Fattoria Solidale del Circeo, to carry out the farming activities, which will provide work placements for vulnerable or socially excluded people.  

As one of the largest solar projects in Italy and with an innovative financing approach, Pontinia is at the forefront of the shift to subsidy-free solar PV projects in the country. Today’s announcement forms part of the growing solar PV capacity Cero has under development in Italy, supporting the country’s goals to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 20301. Cero’s 25GW portfolio across 370 utility-scale projects is one of the largest in Europe. 

Marta Martinez Queimadelos, CEO of Cero Generation, says: “We’re delighted to see our Pontinia project enter operation and start to produce cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy for the Province of Latina in the Lazio region. The virtual PPAs with HEINEKEN and Philips and the project’s clever integration with agricultural crops embodies the scale of innovation needed to combat the climate crisis.”  

Marco Faes, Director Regional Corporate Affairs Europe at HEINEKEN says: “As part of our ambition to Brew a Better World, we are accelerating the transition to decarbonise our breweries. Together with our colleagues in Global Procurement, we have made great progress in adopting renewable energy. The Pontinia initiative in Italy moves us one step closer to reaching 100% renewable electricity in Europe within a year. We’re happy to be partnering on this PPA and we remain focused on our net-zero journey ahead.” 

Robert Metzke, Global Head of Sustainability at Philips, says: “There is a growing drive in the healthcare sector to limit our impact on the environment. We are committed to decreasing emissions across the entire healthcare value chain and lowering the industry’s substantial carbon footprint through innovative solutions and collaborations, while advancing towards a circular economy. The Pontinia initiative will expand our network of facilities that allow us to procure renewable energy for both our customers and our own operations.” 

Philips has been carbon neutral in its operations since 2020. It recently became the first health technology company to have CO₂ emission reduction targets for its entire value-chain approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. The company is actively teaming up with suppliers and customers to help reduce the healthcare industry’s significant carbon footprint. This new PPA agreement will support Philips in helping hospitals control their emissions and reset their carbon footprint.  

Schneider Electric, a leading global advisor on corporate renewable energy procurement, supported Philips and HEINEKEN in project selection and contract negotiations.  

John Powers, Vice President, Global Cleantech and Renewables at Schneider Electric says: “This innovative collaboration represents a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable energy production. We at Schneider Electric are proud to be a part of the collective efforts to scale adoption of clean energy solutions and continue forward progress on net-zero goals in Europe.” 

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/italy-says-it-plans-cut-carbon-emissions-by-60-by-2030-2021-03-11/

ENDS

Media enquiries contact: cero@standagency.com  

About Cero Generation  

Cero Generation is a leading specialist in solar energy development, production and storage, accelerating the delivery of a net-zero future across Europe.   

Powered by an experienced team that brings world-class industry, commercial, engineering and environmental expertise to its projects, Cero is active through every stage of the lifecycle, from planning and construction to operation. It works closely with local development partners, suppliers and stakeholders to deliver high-impact projects that positively benefit the environment and community.    

Cero Generation is a Macquarie Asset Management portfolio company, operating on a stand-alone basis. 

www.cerogeneration.com  

About Heineken 

HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium and non-alcoholic beer and cider brands.  

Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. With HEINEKEN’s over 90,000 employees, we brew the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world.  

Our dream is to shape the future of beer and beyond to win the hearts of consumers. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management.  

Through “Brew a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business.  

HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries.  

Most recent information is available on our Company’s website and follow us on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Instagram

About Royal Philips (Philips) 

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.  

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health.  

Philips generated 2022 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately 71,500 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries.  

News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter

About Schneider Electric 

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On. 

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency. 

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries. 

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.  

www.se.com   

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