SICILY RENEWABLE LABORATORY

Photovoltaics, green hydrogen, agrivoltaics, and CER: the island is at the center of Italy’s energy transition. And HeySun tells its story.

It’s no coincidence that, when discussing the energy transition in Italy, Sicily consistently returns to the center of debate. Recent news pieces together a mosaic that depicts a region in motion, capable of addressing the challenge of change in concrete and diverse ways: from large-scale utility-scale agrivoltaics to local Renewable Energy Communities, from green hydrogen to permits for industrial photovoltaics, to the logistics of the giant transformers of the Tyrrhenian Link. A region that doesn’t wait, but builds. And it is precisely this rapidly evolving scenario that gives meaning and urgency to a trade fair like HeySun – Energy Transition Expo, the leading Italian trade fair dedicated to the sector.

Record-breaking agrivoltaics: Vizzini sets its sights on Europe

The most striking sign comes from the Catania area. One of the largest agrivoltaic plants in Italy and among the largest in Europe will be built in Vizzini: 225.5 MW of power, an investment of over €200 million, and an expected annual production of approximately 405 GWh, enough to power over 135,000 families, equivalent to the population of Catania. But the most striking figure isn’t the industrial figure: it’s the decision to integrate photovoltaic systems with the grazing of approximately 820 sheep, a testament to how renewable energy production can and must interact with Sicily’s historic agricultural traditions.

36 MW authorized in Francofonte

A few kilometers away, in the municipality of Francofonte, a single regional authorization (PAUR) was obtained for a 36 MW photovoltaic plant covering approximately 64 hectares. The configuration includes measures for spontaneous renaturalization beneath the modules, wildlife passages, and plant screening with native species: an approach that represents the new frontier of responsible photovoltaics, no longer conflicting with the landscape but rather integrating it. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with operation expected by 2028.

Giammoro’s Hydrogen Valley: The Steel Industry Goes Green

The most far-reaching news comes from Messina. In Giammoro, near Pace del Mela, a disused industrial area is being transformed into a green hydrogen hub thanks to a €10 million project funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). An agreement has been signed for the installation of a 1 MW AEM electrolyzer powered by a dedicated 4 MW photovoltaic system, capable of producing approximately 100 tons of green hydrogen per year. The destination? Steel, logistics, and mobility: the “hard-to-abate” sectors, the most difficult to decarbonize, which today find a concrete solution in Sicily. It’s the same logic that has led the Sicilian Region to be among the most active in using the NRRP “Hydrogen Valleys” calls: with Giammoro on the Tyrrhenian coast and Priolo on the Ionian coast, the island is at the forefront of building a national green hydrogen supply chain.

Tyrrhenian Link: 410-ton transformers land at Termini Imerese

The energy transition is not just about plants: it’s also the extraordinary logistics that make them possible. In Termini Imerese, the unloading and storage of three 410-ton transformers has been completed. These will be destined for the Caracoli Est section of the Tyrrhenian Link, the large-scale high-voltage submarine interconnection promoted by Terna to connect Sicily, Sardinia, and Campania. The project involves a total of 12 transformers, six of which will be destined for Sicily. This infrastructure project, once completed, will significantly strengthen the ability to integrate renewable sources into the national grid, reducing the traditional disadvantage faced by Southern Italy in accessing the energy market.

GSE accelerates its CER initiatives: simplification for citizens’ benefit

Alongside the large numbers, the widespread transition also matters. The Italian Energy Services Manager has announced a decisive push to simplify Renewable Energy Communities, with new rules and procedures designed to make CERs a more accessible and attractive tool for citizens, businesses, and municipalities. CERs represent the most democratic face of the transition: they enable the production and sharing of clean energy on a local scale, reducing bills and creating community bonds around self-generation. This is a model that HeySun closely follows and promotes.

€262 million for SMEs in the South: photovoltaics enters the workforce

Not just large-scale plants: the transition also affects the productive sector. The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has opened applications for a €262 million call for proposals aimed at self-production of energy from renewable sources by businesses in Southern Italy. Sixty percent of the resources are reserved for small and medium-sized businesses, with funding for photovoltaic systems and energy storage systems. Companies in Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily are eligible to apply. Applications are open until July 3, 2026, via the GSE portal: a concrete opportunity to reduce energy costs and increase production resilience.

☀ HeySun – Energy Transition Expo

In this unprecedented acceleration, HeySun – Energy Transition Expo confirms its position as the most authoritative and comprehensive platform for describing, analyzing, and shaping Italy’s energy future. Record-breaking agrivoltaic systems, Hydrogen Valley in abandoned industrial sites, local energy communities, incentives for SMEs, and large-scale network infrastructure: these are precisely the stories and protagonists that animate HeySun, a trade fair capable of connecting the worlds of production and innovation, institutions and businesses, and the local community and international markets.

Sicily, with its concentration of projects, authorizations, and investments, is not just a region in transition: it is already one of Italy’s renewable energy capitals. HeySun collects this energy and projects it nationwide, offering operators, institutions, and citizens the tools to understand where the country is headed.
An unmissable event for those who want to be part of this transformation.