FuturaSun Plans New 2 GW Solar Module Facility in Italy

European solar module maker headquartered in Italy, FuturaSun has announced that it has acquired a 24,000 sq meters plot of land in the industrial area of Cittadella (Padua) to establish a new Italian solar module Gigafactory. FuturaSun said that the new factory will reach a 2 GW annual production capacity of high-efficiency photovoltaic modules that will be manufactured employing the most innovative technologies.

With this important step, the FuturaSun commits to a total investment of EUR 25 million over the next few years. FuturaSun said that the solar module facility fits into the company’s strategic industrial plan, and it follows through on the European mission of rebuilding the European supply chain, with FuturaSun taking the role of one of the main players.

Alessandro Barin, CEO, FuturaSun, said, “With this new industrial hub, we believe we can enhance our hometown while also becoming a reference point in the REpowerEU plan and the European Green Deal to revive the Italian and European photovoltaic industrial supply chain in support of continental energy transition strategies.”

The new headquarters will be designed according to across-the-board environmental and sustainability criteria and will include an R&D center for applied scientific research, a large test-field for product control and improvement, a PV Academy and a training center to recreate the expertise of industry professionals.

FuturaSun was founded in Cittadella in 2008. After 15 years of uninterrupted growth, with a Gigafactory already active in China and two others under construction, the company continues in its project to reposition the supply chain, initiating another effort 0of reviving the Veneto district of photovoltaics in Cittadella.

2022 was a record year when the solar PV industry in Europe grew by about 47 per cent – going from 28 GW in 2021 to over 41 GW in 2022. Italy itself added more than 1 GW of solar installations. In step with that, EU efforts to create a manufacturing ecosystem are also moving apace, with generous support from the EU. Over 5 GW of cell and module manufacturing facilities have already been announced, with more ambitious plans for backward integration expected to follow soon.