Rimini Offshore Wind Farm: Italy Holds Significant Potential on Offshore Renewables – Fugro
By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
Milan, Italy – Fugro, the world’s leading Geo-data specialist, has noted that Italy holds significant potential for offshore renewable energy.
The Italian offshore wind sector remains in its early stages, with project pipelines under development following new auctions and government policy support.
Notably, Fugro has completed a feasibility study encompassing geophysical and archaeological surveys for Energia Wind 2020, supporting the development of the 330MW Rimini offshore wind farm project.
The Rimini offshore wind farm is one of Italy’s first fixed-bottom offshore wind farm developments, located approximately 12 nautical miles off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Giancarlo Cristofalo, Fugro’s Business Development Manager for the Mediterranean and Black Sea, said in an interview with The Energy Republic that the Rimini offshore wind farm is a reliable, competitive, and economically attractive option for offshore wind development in Italy.
Cristofalo said, “The Rimini offshore wind farm has a key competitive advantage: it is a bottom-fixed project. This approach is generally more cost-effective compared to floating solutions.
“It can leverage well-established and proven technology.”
He noted that the Rimini offshore wind farm is a notable example that proves Italy holds significant potential for offshore renewable energy.
According to him, the Rimini offshore wind farm will contribute to the EU’s target of reaching 15 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
“Once operational, the project is expected to generate up to 850 GWh of clean energy per year, strengthening Europe’s renewable energy mix and reducing reliance on fossil fuels,” he stated.
However, he pointed out that most Italian offshore wind developments are expected to be floating due to deep-water conditions, while a few bottom-fixed projects are planned in the shallower waters of the northern Adriatic Sea.
“We recommend integrating environmental acoustics into project planning to reduce environmental risks such as seabed disturbance, underwater noise, and impacts on marine life,” he stated, underscoring the need to monitor underwater soundscapes and marine species activity, to enable developers to schedule construction during periods of lower ecological sensitivity and minimize noise-related impacts.
In addition, Cristofalo said 130 offshore wind projects have been submitted for approval to the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE).
“Over 80 GW of grid connection requests have been submitted to the Italian Transmission System Operator, Terna.
“18 GW are undergoing environmental impact assessment (VIA – Valutazione di Impatto Ambientale), and 2.2 GW have already received environmental approval.
“These figures highlight the availability of capital, expertise, and industrial commitment to establish a robust Italian offshore energy supply chain (data provided by AERO – Association of Offshore Renewables).
“The Italian government is working on implementing the FER2 Decree, a policy designed to incentivise innovative renewable technologies such as offshore wind, and preparing competitive auctions dedicated to this sector. These measures are highly anticipated by operators and investors, as they will provide the necessary framework and incentives to accelerate the growth of wind energy in Italy.
“Fugro is committed to supporting this transition by applying our experience and technology to help develop sustainable energy solutions for a safe and liveable world,” he added.
Beyond this project, Fugro is actively involved in a range of environmental initiatives aimed at protecting marine ecosystems, including advanced monitoring techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to track marine species and biodiversity.
Fugro also uses systems to monitor bird activity, helping to minimize potential impacts on wildlife.
From surface to subsurface, Fugro delivers industry-leading Geo-data acquisition and geo-consultancy services that support leading energy operators to develop projects such as offshore wind farms, etc.
Fugro’s expertise helps guide feasibility and licensing studies while reducing risk in future engineering, construction, and decommissioning phases.
