Nadara has completed Big Fish, a 227 MW agrivoltaic project in Sicily that the company describes as Italy’s largest agrivoltaic plant. The project, located near Catania, was developed with the support of Amazon, which has signed a 156 MW power purchase agreement (PPA) for electricity from the facility.

Located around 40 km from Mount Etna across the municipalities of Catania, Lentini and Motta Sant’Anastasia, Big Fish covers 400 hectares across 15 plots. The project was built in 12 months with the participation of more than 900 workers, while half of the land remains dedicated to active agriculture.

The agrivoltaic system was developed in collaboration with the University of Catania’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Solar panels have been installed at heights of up to three metres to allow farming activities to continue underneath, while 14 wells have been built or restored to support irrigation. The project also includes measures to support biodiversity, with beehives expected to produce around 4.5 tonnes of honey per year.

According to Nadara, local municipalities will receive at least €17.25 million in services and energy-efficiency funding over the plant’s lifetime. These commitments include infrastructure improvements, monitoring systems for public buildings and electric vehicles for municipal use. The project has also involved planting 38,000 trees and maintaining 2.5 km of public waterways.

Nadara Chief Growth Officer Jorge Martínez said the project illustrates how large-scale renewable generation can coexist with productive agricultural land and create long-term value for local communities.

Amazon Italy Managing Director Giorgio Busnelli said the company wants to support renewable energy projects that contribute to the energy transition while benefiting surrounding communities. Amazon has supported the development of eight large-scale solar projects in Italy and installed 32 solar systems at its facilities in the country. Together, the 40 projects have an estimated capacity of 532 MW.

The Big Fish PPA builds on an existing relationship between Nadara and Amazon, which already includes previous agreements in Finland and Italy. Amazon said the projects form part of its wider European portfolio of more than 260 renewable energy projects, expected to provide more than 10 GW of new carbon-free energy capacity once completed.

Alongside Big Fish, Nadara has also completed the 46 MW Sardella solar PV project. The two facilities were built simultaneously next to each other and, according to the company, together represent the largest solar development ever carried out in Italy. Sardella also includes energy-efficiency initiatives in the municipality of Belpasso, alongside agricultural and environmental measures.