Italy’s Ministry authorizes 467 MW of new BESS projects, Norway’s Statkraft a winner

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) has issued, across two rounds of authorizations in March 2026, a total of seven directorial decrees for new battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities amounting to 467 MW of combined capacity. The projects are located in Lombardy, Puglia, Piedmont, Veneto, Basilicata, and Tuscany.

The largest of the approved facilities will be located in the municipality of Loreo (Rovigo) with a capacity of 130 MW. The project (Directorial Decree No. 48/2026) was proposed by EG Orchidea Srl, a subsidiary of Enfinity Global.

Another significant project, a 100 MW BESS proposed by RNE20 Srl, has been authorized for the municipality of Turin (Directorial Decree No. 46/2026), while Bess Arezzo Srl has received the green light for a 75 MW BESS in the municipality of Arezzo (Directorial Decree No. 62/2026).

The ministry also approved three projects linked to subsidiaries of the Norwegian energy company Statkraft. SKI B A2 Srl received authorization (Directorial Decree No. 61/2026) to build a 48 MW BESS dubbed “Accumulo Galatina” in the municipality of Galatone (Lecce), and SKI B A3 Srl will develop a 42 MW plant called “Accumulo Montemilone” in the municipality of Montemilone (Potenza) (Directorial Decree No. 59/2026).

The final Statkraft project, by its Italian subsidiary SKI 38 Srl, has been authorized to construct a 48 MW BESS named “Accumulo Villa Castelli” in the municipality of Villa Castelli (Brindisi) (Directorial Decree No. 44/2026).

According to Statkraft’s annual report from previous years (e.g., 2023), the developer side of the company has three main companies in Italy, and 101 holding companies related to Statkraft Italia S.R.L, which include SKI B A2, SKI B A3, SKI 38, and more.

Utilizing Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) like these is commonm as developers ring-fence assets, permitting, and financial liabilities of individual projects from the parent company. (Stakraft stopped reporting its full list of holding companies in 2024.)

Rounding out the newly authorized projects is a 24 MW BESS to be built by Aura IT 10 Srl in the municipality of Pegognaga (Mantua), approved under Directorial Decree No. 41/2026.

These authorizations were released in two closely timed tranches by the ministry, combining 165 MW of recently approved capacity with another 302 MW cleared in mid-March.

From pv magazine Italy: Round 1, Round 2.