Saipem & Co apply for concession to build offshore renewable energy hub in Italy

Italian authorities have received an application seeking concession for a site in the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Ravenna, where the Italian renewable energy developer AGNES, Saipem, and QINT’X plan to develop an offshore energy hub. The project comprises two offshore wind farms, a floating photovoltaic system, and energy storage, and could also incorporate green hydrogen production technologies.

AGNES submitted the application on 28 September to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure’s General Directorate for the supervision of port authorities, port infrastructure and maritime and inland waterway transport. Following the receipt of the planning documents, the Port Authority of Ravenna opened a 30-day consultation period on 21 October, inviting stakeholders and sea users to provide their feedback, and allowing for any competing applications to be filed.

After the consultation closes on 21 November, the preliminary investigation procedure related to the requested concession will be carried out further, with an assessment of the environmental aspects of the final project to take place in a subsequent phase, in which the stakeholders will be given the opportunity to respond in this regard.

The energy hub, for whose development Saipem entered into partnership with AGNES and QINT’X earlier this year, consists of two offshore wind farms, Romagna 1 and Romagna 2, with a total capacity of 600 MW, proposed to be installed off the Emilia Romagna region in the municipality of Ravenna.

Romagna 1 would be built 22 kilometres off the coast of Lido di Classe, spanning an area of ​​85 square kilometres, where 25 wind turbines of 8 MW of capacity each would be installed. The floating photovoltaic system with a power of 100 MWp would be installed next to the Romagna 1 wind farm.

Romagna 2 would have a capacity of 400 MW with up to 50 8 MW turbines spinning some 26 kilometres offshore Porto Corsini.

The plans filed with the authorities also include an energy storage system and, according to earlier information about the project, could also encompass green hydrogen production.

Namely, this summer Saipem launched a technological solution that combines floating wind, floating solar, and marine energy to power the production of green hydrogen on existing offshore platforms, called SUISO. Thanks to its features, SUISO will find its first application in the AGNES project, according to the company’s press release from July.

While Saipem’s recent announcement about the technologies to be incorporated in the energy hub includes floating wind, according to the plans submitted with the concession application, the wind turbines are planned to be installed either on jacket or monopile foundations.

Regarding the AGNES project’s solar technology, according to information from 2020, the project could feature innovations such as floating solar technology based on the proprietary technology of Moss Maritime.