A milestone in Puglia: 100+ MWp of agrivoltaics clears VIA
Today, we’re pleased to share an important milestone for two of our agrivoltaic projects in Puglia. CER01 (44.715 MWp, Cerignola) and ASC05 (55.40 MWp, spanning Ascoli Satriano, Cerignola and Melfi) have secured their VIA (Valutazione di Impatto Ambientale) environmental authorisation. Together, that’s more than 100 MWp of new solar capacity moving one step closer to construction.
Part of a national moment
Beyond the projects themselves, the wider context is equally significant.
What makes this especially rewarding is the company our projects are keeping. CER01 and ASC05 were authorised as part of a wider tranche of renewable schemes approved by the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, on 4 June 2026. In all, the Council gave a positive environmental compatibility judgment to fourteen wind, solar and agrivoltaic projects — around 635 MW of capacity across Puglia, Lazio and Sardinia, with Puglia carrying the largest share at over 405 MW.
That matters beyond our own pipeline. The decision reflects a growing willingness to move strategic renewable projects forward when they’ve been held up in the ordinary environmental assessment process — unblocking capacity that the country needs to keep its energy transition on track. We’re proud that our Puglia projects are part of that national progress.
Why these projects are different
Both CER01 and ASC05 are built around a dual-use model: solar generation paired with superintensive olive farming. The land keeps doing what Puglia’s land has always done — producing — while also generating clean power.
Rather than replacing agriculture, these projects are designed to let farming and renewable energy work together on the same land. It’s a practical answer to one of the most important questions in the sector: how to deploy renewables at scale without taking productive farmland out of use. For national policy and local communities alike, that balance is exactly what good agrivoltaics should deliver.
How we got here — and who with
This milestone is the result of our joint venture with PowerGen, co-developed with StudioTecnicolt. Across the partnership, VOLT led on project management, acquisition, and project finance — taking both assets from origination through to a permitted, bankable, and investable stage.
A word from our CEO, Duncan Bott:
“Securing VIA authorisation for CER01 and ASC05 is a significant step forward, both for these two projects and for our agrivoltaic strategy in Puglia. Being part of this national tranche underlines the strategic importance of well-designed renewable projects — schemes that deliver clean energy while keeping agricultural land productive. We’re proud to be contributing to Italy’s energy transition, and we look forward to moving these assets toward construction and operation.”
What happens next
The VIA approval now feeds into the Autorizzazione Unica (AU) — the single authorisation that clears a project for construction. Under the applicable rules, the responsible administration is expected to issue the AU within 60 days, which keeps both projects moving on a clear and defined path toward the build phase.
As shareholders in both projects, we intend to move toward building, owning, and operating these assets for the long term — strengthening VOLT’s position as an independent power producer in the Italian market, and adding to a growing pipeline of agrivoltaic and solar projects we’re developing across Italy.
More to come as CER01 and ASC05 progress. For now, congratulations and thanks to everyone — across VOLT, PowerGen and StudioTecnicolt — who helped get us here.
