The Italian Council of Ministers has designated Energy Vault Holdings, Inc.'s Digital Vault Sulcis investment program as being of pre-eminent national strategic interest. This status establishes an accelerated administrative approval pathway for the project.

Proposed by Minister of Enterprise Adolfo Urso and supported by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the designation recognizes the project's importance to Italy's digital infrastructure. A special Government Commissioner is expected to be appointed to coordinate activities and support accelerated implementation toward the required single authorization.

Project Scope and Timeline

The government-designated program includes an Edge AI data center of up to approximately 30 MW integrated with renewable energy generation and storage at the Carbosulcis former coal mining complex in Nuraxi Figus. The broader master plan targets phased expansion to approximately 50–60 MW of IT capacity and up to 100 MW of total site power capacity.

Energy Vault is targeting construction to begin by 2028, with commercial operations expected by 2030, subject to final approvals. The company notes that recent milestones in site development, land rights, engineering, and grid interconnection continue to reduce development risk.

Strategic Implications

Marco Terrzzuin, Chief Revenue Officer, stated the designation is a meaningful step forward in the company's European AI infrastructure strategy. Luca Manzella, VP of Business Development, highlighted that the project demonstrates how the Build, Own & Operate model is expanding beyond energy storage into powered AI infrastructure.

The campus is positioned as Energy Vault’s flagship AI infrastructure hub in Europe, combining powered land, resilient energy systems, and modular compute capacity. It aligns with Italy’s objectives for digital sovereignty and advanced technology investment while contributing to the industrial redevelopment of the Sulcis region.

What the Numbers Show

The phased capacity expansion reveals a significant gap between initial deployment and full potential. While the immediate focus is on a 30 MW Edge AI data center, the master plan envisions scaling to 100 MW of total power capacity. This threefold increase in power infrastructure suggests substantial future capital expenditure and execution risk beyond the initial phase, contingent on sustained demand for AI compute capacity and successful regulatory navigation.

Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) granted equity awards covering 1,236,510 shares to 19 new employees effective August 4, 2026. The Compensation Committee approved the awards under the company’s 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan.

The grants comply with New York Stock Exchange Listing Rule 303A.08, which permits awards material to new hires without shareholder approval. The awards include both restricted stock units and performance-based restricted stock units.

Award Structure

The restricted stock units vest over four years subject to continued service. Performance-based units also vest over four years but require the achievement of a target share price alongside continued service.

All awards are subject to the terms of the Plan and individual award agreements. Energy Vault develops utility-scale energy storage solutions including battery, gravity, and green hydrogen technologies.