Megawatt Mosaic has secured planning consent and grid connections for four 99 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) sites in Italy. The portfolio includes two sites in Sardinia and two in Tuscany, all part of the Tyrrhenian Link—a planned subsea transmission project aimed at enhancing grid stability in Italy.
According to Helen Passfield, the company's director of asset management, the site selection process involved evaluating over 700 potential locations across Italy. “During the past three years Megawatt Mosaic has analysed more than 700 potential connection points across Italy to identify sites that can successfully proceed to construction, and onward to connection and operation,” Passfield said. She added that the planning and environmental approvals for the sites represent “a major milestone,” allowing the company to partner with investors for the next development stage.
While critical approvals and land rights have been obtained, further funding is needed to bring these assets to a construction-ready status. The BESS projects, planned for integration with the €3.8 billion Tyrrhenian Link, will support Italy's efforts to manage its grid imbalance, the second highest globally after the United States.
Under Italy's National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, more than 55% of electricity is to come from renewable sources by 2030. The plan also anticipates a full coal phase-out by 2025, including 1 GW of capacity reduction in Sardinia.
Megawatt Mosaic's projects are positioned to support these national goals by connecting to the Tyrrhenian Link, an infrastructure project funded by the European Union. The link will create a closed-loop transmission system linking mainland Italy with Sardinia and Sicily via a 970-kilometer submarine cable capable of transmitting 1,000 MW.
The approval for Megawatt Mosaic's BESS portfolio aligns with Italy's efforts to strengthen its energy infrastructure, which will also enable the integration of additional renewable energy, reduce coal reliance, and improve grid stability across the region.
