9REN: developing the communities

When building photovoltaic systems, 9REN pays special attention to integrating its industrial activities into the local communities, while capitalizing on this local traditional activity. The following are the main projects at present; others are being developed:

RENtree, a successful 9REN project aimed at devoting a part of the photovoltaic system’s land to organic farming in accordance with the Permaculture method, demonstrating that photovoltaics and farming can coexist. This has positive, quantifiable effects on the local environmental, social, and economic fabric. More…

Development of local micro-enterprise. In July 2009, a project was initiated in collaboration with the Lizzano (Taranto) municipal government, aimed at training 23 of the town’s unemployed youths. After a three-week period of classroom training, some of Lizzano’s youths set up a cooperative to provide services to the photovoltaic market in Puglia. More…

Ecotourism and photovoltaics. A group of students from Istituto per il turismo Sforza in Palagianello (Taranto), coordinated by 9REN’s consultants and the school’s teachers, worked on a project to study the territory and integrate the photovoltaic system into the future Museo del Territorio. The young people themselves will lead tours for those who wish to find out how the photovoltaic plant operates. More…