Shell signs PPA with unsubsidised Italian solar projects

December 11, 2018
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Source:Octopus/Fabrizio Guerri

Oil major Shell has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 70.5MW portfolio of unsubsidised solar projects in Italy.

The five year deal with UK-based investor Octopus is for power from six projects currently under construction in Italy. Completion is expected in early 2019.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Octopus has a total of ten projects in the works with a total capacity of 110MW.

“This is a landmark deal for Octopus as we continue to drive value from our unsubsidised solar portfolio in Italy through innovative partnerships like this one,” said Matt Setchell, head of Octopus’ energy investment team. “Shell is at the forefront of the global energy transition and, like us, understands the importance of clean energy which we are seeing increase in value and importance to energy consumers in Europe and beyond.”

In 2018 Shell has signed a variety of solar PPA contracts including a 15-year deal for 100MW in California and a five-year deal for power from the largest solar farm in the UK.

“For us, Italy is a strategic market for power and we’ve been looking at ways to increase our power presence in the country,” said Fabio Ganzer, general manager power, Shell Energy Europe. “This deal is another addition to our growing renewable power portfolio and we look forward to partnering with Octopus, a key player in the market.”

This story has been updated to correct the total size of the Octopus portfolio in Italy currently under construction.

Read Next

December 23, 2025
EBRD and KfW will provide €87 million (US$102.2 million) in debt financing for a 134MWdc solar project in North Macedonia.
December 23, 2025
PV Tech spoke to Uri Sadot about how security concerns finally went 'mainstream' in 2025, and what can be done to improve solar cybersecurity.
December 23, 2025
ArcelorMittal is investing INR81 billion (US$903 million) in three renewable energy projects across three states in India.
December 22, 2025
European Energy has secured approval for its 1.1GW Upper Calliope solar project in Queensland near Gladstone, Australia. 
December 22, 2025
Emmvee, through its subsidiary Emmvee Energy, has begun operations at its 2.5GW solar module manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
December 22, 2025
As utility-scale solar projects grow, managing voltage drops remains a critical challenge for EPCs and system designers. Jason Coleman of Terrasmart explores how optimising eBOS architecture offers a solution while delivering cost savings.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland