The project, developed by Galileo and Hope Group, an Italian renewable energy design firm, is the largest offshore wind farm to reach this milestone in Italy and the Mediterranean. The EIA approval allows Barium Bay to participate in the FER 2 Decree auction, which supports 3800MW of offshore wind through long-term Contracts for Difference.
Situated over 45 kilometers offshore, the wind farm features two fixed-bottom offshore substations, optimized for the region’s seabed conditions, ensuring efficient and eco-friendly energy production.
Michele Scoppio, Hope Group’s chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to have obtained this achievement as Hope Group was founded with the aim of being an active part of Italy’s energy transition process. We have worked passionately to design a project capable of generating sustainable energy without impacting the environment and landscape, and this result represents the culmination of work carried out with care and attention to the territory, the sea, local communities, and institutions. The energy produced, thanks to the wind that blows undisturbed in the Southern Adriatic Sea, will be valuable for businesses and citizens, contributing to creating a healthier territory and increasing employment in Apulia Region.”
Francesco Dolzani, Barium Bay’s chairman and Galileo’s business development director in Italy, stated: “We are satisfied and proud of this milestone, which is the result of the work of numerous national and international entities and professionals we deeply wish to thank. We are now focused on reaching construction and commissioning milestones for the plant, which could generate thousands of skilled jobs and attract several billion euros in investment to the country.”
