3SUN for I.L.P.A.V S.p.A

Challenge. Combining the energy transition with cost efficiency in plastics recycling.

I.L.P.A.V. S.p.A. is a long-established company now led by the Di Martino and Gueli families. For over fifty years, the company has transformed post-consumer plastics and agricultural waste into new raw materials, becoming deeply rooted in the local area, where sustainability and the circular economy are not abstract goals, but the core of its production model.
In a technologically and mechanically intensive industrial process, where extrusion and transformation require a continuous and substantial energy supply, electricity costs are a decisive factor in market competitiveness.

For a company that gives new value to waste materials every day, making the production process itself more sustainable was the natural next step. This led to the decision to invest in the self-generation of solar energy. The main requirement was twofold: on the one hand, to significantly reduce energy procurement costs; on the other, to adopt an exceptionally robust and reliable photovoltaic technology capable of withstanding exposure to weather conditions and substances associated with treatments used in the surrounding agricultural sector.

Solution. A state-of-the-art tracker-mounted agrivoltaic system by C.S. Group and 3SUN.

To address the complex operational and environmental requirements of the Vittoria site, the design and construction of the photovoltaic infrastructure were entrusted to the expertise of EPC contractor C.S. Group S.r.l.  The project involved the development of a large-scale 4.416 MWp ground-mounted system on a single-axis tracker structure, designed to orient the modules by following the sun’s path throughout the day and thereby maximise the solar irradiation typical of Sicily.

The system engineering was based on high-level collaboration between the industry specialists recommended and selected by C.S. Group S.r.l.: the electronic architecture provided by SolarEdge and the technological core represented by 3SUN B60 series photovoltaic modules. These modules were chosen for their stable performance and high structural strength, an essential quality for ensuring durability and consistent output even in areas characterised by intensive agricultural activity.

Result. A virtuous model of sustainability delivering significant cost savings.

The commissioning of the infrastructure marked a tangible turning point in I.L.P.A.V. S.p.A.’s energy management model. Thanks to the optimal balance between C.S. Group S.r.l.’s system engineering, the performance of the trackers and the superior performance of the 3SUN B60 series modules, the company has achieved a high degree of independence from the electricity grid.

The benefits of the investment immediately translated into a measurable economic impact, with a significant reduction in electricity costs, ensuring a rapid return on investment and protecting the company’s financial stability against volatile energy prices. The project has enabled I.L.P.A.V. S.p.A. to effectively close the sustainability loop: Sicily’s solar energy now powers the process that gives plastic a new life, strengthening the company’s posi-tion as a benchmark for the circular economy in Italy and across Europe.