Civita Castellana (Viterbo, Lazio), Italy – September 16, 2025 – CER Civita Castellana Solare in Lazio, believed to be Italy’s first fully private renewable energy community (REC), is entering a critical expansion phase with the commissioning of a 1 MW SolarEdge DC-optimized ground-mounted solar system. The 1,612-panel installation is expected to generate approximately 1,500 MWh of clean energy annually, boosting savings for community members while also further enhancing local energy independence.
Founded in 2021 by local solar installer Ecocirioni Srl, CER Civita Castellana Solare is one of a growing number of RECs in Italy that enable homeowners and businesses to come together to produce, share and use renewable energy at a local level.
Through this model, members with a solar system contribute surplus solar power to the community, benefiting from a premium tariff scheme introduced in 2024 that provides additional payments above market rates for electricity shared within a REC. Revenue from these sales is then pooled and partially redistributed among members to lower their energy bills, while the remainder is reinvested in future projects, infrastructure upgrades, and the community’s long-term growth.
By mid-2025, CER Civita Castellana Solare had 64 members. These included 48 homeowners and businesses with SolarEdge rooftop solar systems, which together contribute approximately 300,474 kWh of annual energy production. In addition, the scheme also includes 16 consumer-only members—residents and enterprises that do not have solar systems but receive a portion of the profits from the consumption of the energy shared within the CER.
On average, each member saves between 15–20% on their energy bills. For solar system owners, these savings are in addition to the cost reductions achieved by generating their own power and decreasing their dependence on grid-supplied electricity. For consumer-only members, the REC offers a simple and affordable way to access low-cost renewable energy and actively participate in the clean energy transition.
The new 1 MW SolarEdge DC-optimized solar installation, funded using profits from the existing REC, represents a significant leap in the community’s production capacity. Paired with a 2 MWh battery storage system, it will also enable stored solar energy to be used during evening hours or low-sunlight conditions, boosting self-consumption and improving the community’s energy independence.
“With the commissioning of the 1 MW system, we are taking a further, decisive step toward realising a truly efficient and sustainable energy community,” says Roberto Cirioni, CEO of Ecocirioni Srl. “This new installation builds on the REC’s success to date and reflects our long-term vision: to empower local citizens and businesses with clean, affordable, and locally produced energy.”
A key factor behind CER Civita Castellana Solare's success is the use of SolarEdge DC-optimized inverter technology throughout the solar community. In a SolarEdge system, Power Optimizers are installed beneath solar panels to maximize panel production. This ensures that when panels are affected by mismatch losses, from manufacturing tolerance, partial shading or aging, the rest of the system continues to operate at peak efficiency. The SolarEdge system also improves design flexibility by removing traditional constraints on panel orientation and string length. This enables optimal layout on diverse rooftops and helps maximize energy output across the entire system.
Another important factor is production visibility. The SolarEdge system’s ability to monitor system performance at the panel level is essential for a growing energy community like CER Civita Castellana Solare to make informed decisions about energy use. Since energy production must be carefully managed to balance supply and demand, this visibility helps ensure stability and efficiency. Equally important is the system’s advanced safety features, including SafeDC™, which is designed to automatically reduce voltage in the solar arrays to touch-safe levels within minutes, enabling safe access for maintenance crews and emergency responders.
“The combination of rooftop solar, community-based sharing, and advanced technology enables our members to access locally generated, low-cost renewable electricity,” says Roberto Cirioni. “Currently, they are saving an extra 15–20% on their annual energy bills. However, we expect these savings to increase as capacity expands with the addition of the 1 MW system.”
About SolarEdge
SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy technology. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, , and grid services solutions. SolarEdge is online at www.solaredge.com
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