UniCredit Funds 52-MW Sicily Agrivoltaic Push

• UniCredit will fund a 52-MW agrivoltaic solar plant in Sicily with €30M for Aquila Clean Energy, producing clean power while keeping farmland productive—boosting Europe’s sustainable land-use push.

UniCredit will extend EUR 30 million to finance the construction of a 52-MW agrivoltaic solar project in Sicily, developed by Aquila Clean Energy. The financing is intended to support a facility that pairs photovoltaic power generation with agricultural activity, keeping farmland productive while producing renewable electricity.

The project reflects growing European interest in agrivoltaics as governments push more efficient land use and sustainable farming. Sicily’s strong solar resources make it a key region for solar development, and the new plant is expected to add renewable power to Italy’s grid while supporting the country’s climate and energy transition goals.

How will UniCredit’s EUR 30 million boost Sicily’s 52-MW agrivoltaic solar project?

• UniCredit’s EUR 30 million financing helps Aquila Clean Energy move from development to construction by covering a significant share of the upfront costs for the 52‑MW agrivoltaic plant in Sicily.
  
• The agrivoltaic model means the site is designed to produce electricity while agricultural operations continue on the same land, supporting farmers’ ongoing income streams alongside the renewable energy rollout.
  
• By co-locating solar generation with farming, the project advances “shared land” use—an approach increasingly favored in Europe as pressure grows to expand renewables without sacrificing food production.
  
• Construction and commissioning of a 52‑MW facility can strengthen local energy supply by adding new clean generation capacity to the Italian grid, improving the region’s contribution to national renewable targets.
  
• The project supports the wider EU and Italian sustainability agenda by enabling lower-carbon electricity generation, contributing to emissions reduction goals over the plant’s operational lifetime.
  
• Agrivoltaics can also improve land stewardship: the solar infrastructure is typically designed to help maintain productive agricultural conditions under and around panels (for example, via microclimate effects), which can complement local farming practices.
  
• The financing can reduce project risk for the developer by improving access to capital at key phases, helping keep timelines on track for grid connection, permitting follow-through, and technology installation.
  
• Additional economic activity in Sicily may follow during construction—local contracting, logistics, and services—while long-term operation can sustain jobs related to plant management and agricultural coordination.
• The project can serve as a regional reference for future agrivoltaic developments in southern Italy, signaling that banks are increasingly willing to back projects that combine clean power with agricultural use.