Italy

Revamping is the process of upgrading existing solar power plants by replacing outdated components — such as modules, inverters, structures, monitoring systems, and wiring — with newer, more efficient technology. The physical footprint of the plant stays the same or oftenly can even be reduced, while energy output and efficiency improve significantly.

When upgrading the technology frees up space within the existing site boundary, that space can be used to install additional capacity — increasing generation without occupying any new land.

Revamping refers to upgrading the existing plant with a more efficient technology while maintaining the same power plant capacity. Repowering on the other hand involves also increasing the overall power plant capacity leveraging when new spaces frees in the existing site boundary and the existing interconnection allows it. The result is more power from the same land.

Land use is one of the key sustainability considerations in renewable energy. By maximizing the output of existing sites rather than developing new ones, repowering and revamping protect natural habitats and agricultural land, reduce the ecological impact of energy infrastructure, and deliver more clean power per square meter.

ContourGlobal operates 71 utility-scale photovoltaic assets in Italy. As of 2025, 35 of these plants have undergone repowering and revamping activities. A second phase covering 6 additional projects is underway, with completion expected by mid-2026. Once fully operational, the upgraded portfolio will reach approximately 113 MWdc of installed capacity and generate around 174 GWh per year — a more than 40% increase in production compared to the original capacity of these plants, with zero additional land use.

Yes. Repowering initiatives have been carried out in Austria, reflecting ContourGlobal’s broader commitment to optimizing its renewable portfolio across Europe without expanding its environmental footprint.

The project features numerous relevant improvements on the sustainability dimensions. The discarded modules, for example, are subject to an end-of-life processing that allows to recover 97% of the materials which includes copper, silver, aluminum, glass and crystalline silicon. The old ground mounted steel structures being replaced by new single-axis trackers, as well as the old inverters being upgraded, are also subject to similar processes highlighting the importance of circular approaches.