NHOA Energy, a global provider of utility-scale energy storage systems, announces the commissioning of a 50 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Vicari, Sicily. Developed for ERG, a leading international independent renewable power producer, this project marks a major milestone in the deployment of large-scale storage systems supporting grid stability and renewable energy integration. Located at ERG’s substation connected to the Vicari and Roccapalumba wind farms, the system has a power capacity of 12.5 MW and a nominal storage capacity of 50 MWh, enabling it to store renewable energy for up to four hours.
Fully designed, built, and commissioned by NHOA Energy as both BESS supplier and EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor, the project integrates proprietary Power Conversion System (PCS) and Power Plant Controller (PPC) technologies. Operation and maintenance will continue under a five-year service contract.
“This is an important project that significantly enhances the flexibility of Sicily’s power system,” said Fabrizio Ciaccia, Vice President EMEA at NHOA Energy. “Together with ERG, we have developed a hybrid infrastructure that strengthens the reliability of renewable sources, the resilience of the grid, and Italy’s and the EU’s decarbonization goals. With the Vicari BESS, NHOA Energy confirms its leading role in driving the transition towards a more sustainable and energy-independent future.”
The Vicari BESS project is part of a broader national and European momentum aimed at boosting storage systems to accelerate renewable energy deployment, and stands as a pioneering initiative coupling BESS with wind power in Italy. It is also NHOA Energy’s third project in Sicily - after the system installed at Terna’s Storage Lab in Ciminna, and the Fast Reserve unit in Salemi - further confirming the company’s long-standing contribution to the island’s energy transition. By improving the efficiency and flexibility of renewable generation, hybrid systems like Vicari play an essential role in stabilizing the grid, reducing curtailment of renewable energy, and advancing the full decarbonization of the power sector.
The project was also recently showcased in the national campaign “I Cantieri della Transizione Ecologica” promoted by Legambiente, which highlighted it as a model of technological innovation and sustainable development in Southern Italy.