A 250MW battery storage installation in Italy is included in a list of 250 projects the European Commission is investing €5.85 billion in. The battery storage systems will be connected to the critical 150 kV transmission networks in Central South Italy.
The Commission has disclosed a list of ‘projects of common interest’ (PCI) to accelerate the trans-European energy infrastructure for 2014-2020.
“We have to make sure that our limited funds are used wisely and that EU money goes where it can create most benefits to European consumers,” EU energy commissioner Günther Oettinger. “With this list of energy infrastructure projects and their accompanying benefits, we also hope to attract more investors.”
Permitting has begun for the first 35 MW at the Italian project, while feasibility studies are underway to ascertain the exact sites that would have the greatest benefit of the remaining batteries.
To have been included on the list projects had to be shown to have significant benefits for at least two Member States; contribute to market integration; enhance security of supply, and reduce CO2 emissions.
The projects will benefit from accelerated planning and permit granting procedures to appeal to investors; reduced administrative costs; increased transparency and public participation.
