The sustainability project, which aims to engage Cagliari and its hinterland in a Sardinian energy challenge, begins in two major commercial centers in Sestu. The management body of the Sardinian Agri-food Market—Coagri Sardegna soc. coop—and La Corte del Sole decided to join forces about a year ago because sharing electricity is both cost-effective and beneficial for the region.

The project was born from a far-sighted vision started in 2019 with the plan for a small CER to be created with only market companies, to which, in 2024, the entrepreneur Antonio Sardu , president of the CER and founder of the La Corte del Sole shopping centre, gave great impetus to expand the project.

“We asked ourselves how to react to the rising energy costs and we decided to transform a crisis into a great opportunity for the area,” explains Sardu.

"The CER "Via del Sole" will take its first steps by the end of 2025 with the first photovoltaic system under construction on the market roof," explains Giorgio Licheri, Director of the Sardinia Agri-food Market and member of the CER Board of Directors. "Without taking land away from fields and agriculture, we can contribute, including through electricity produced from renewable sources, to the development of businesses and the local area.

The president of Coagri Sardegna Vincenzo Pisano - a historic wholesaler - adds: "this project is a concrete example of how by marching together in the same direction you win, and the greater the number of participants, the greater the benefits for everyone" .

The two shopping centers house a total of 250 businesses, including 170 retail stores, seven restaurants, two bars, and 71 wholesale and agricultural businesses in the agri-food market.

The goal? To unite businesses, commercial spaces, and agri-food companies in an energy community capable of producing and sharing energy from renewable sources, reducing costs and promoting sustainability.

An innovative model: shared energy, real benefits

The La Corte del Sole Shopping Center and the Sardinia Agri-food Market represent two complementary entities from an energy perspective: one with large consumption during the day, the other with large surfaces available for photovoltaic installation and consumption concentrated in the early hours of the morning.

Thanks to several photovoltaic systems of over 4 MWp , distributed across different sites, CER will be able to cover up to 60% of its members' electricity consumption , generating concrete savings and making the most of local resources.

A strategic initiative for the Metropolitan City

The project is primarily being developed in the area served by the AC001E01620 primary substation , which encompasses a large area of the Metropolitan City of Cagliari: Elmas, Sestu, San Sperate, Monastir, Assemini, Settimo San Pietro, and other municipalities with strong industrial and commercial vocations. This area is rich in economic activity, where CER can truly make a difference.

A website to inform and grow the community

The official CER Via del Sole portal will be online from July 29, 2025 , offering:

  • detailed information about the project,
  • plant updates and production data,
  • membership opportunities for businesses and citizens,
  • access to technical and corporate documentation,
  • news on incentives and public contributions, including those provided for by the PNRR , which finance up to 40% of the investment .

A far-sighted project

The goal is ambitious: to transform the CER Via del Sole into a regional model , gradually opening it up to families, other businesses, and other Sardinian municipalities. An inclusive and forward-looking project that combines environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and social responsibility.

“When a region invests in its resources and people, it can truly become a place worth staying in and building its future,” says Antonio Sardu. “This energy community is just the first step in a broader transformation we want to carry forward together.”

www.cerviadelsole.it

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