Studio Santi

Breadth of expertise and clarity of purpose, often difficult to combine, come together in Studio Santi, an Italian engineering and energy consultancy specialising in sustainable systems and innovation-driven solutions.

Much like the Renaissance workshops that shaped Italy’s legacy of innovation, Studio Santi thrives on mentorship and shared mastery. Knowledge flows directly from its founding engineers to a new generation of specialists, creating a culture where ideas are tested, refined and brought to life through collaboration.

Today, that has evolved into a modern ecosystem of 30 engineers across civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental and digital disciplines. Bound by academic rigour and scientific curiosity, together, they tackle the current sustainability challenges. Locally, this means cutting energy use in data centres and improving airport efficiency. Globally, it means expanding renewable capacity in communities across Africa and beyond.

In its 25 years, Studio Santi has supported the development of about 1.2 GW of renewable energy plants and 700 MW/5 GWh of energy storage systems. Over the past two years, its focus in central and southern Italy has included more than 700 MW of photovoltaic and agrivoltaic plants, as well as 400 MW/2 GWh of battery storage projects. But figures alone cannot capture the spirit of the enterprise.

What distinguishes Studio Santi is its stance. Projects are treated as personal undertakings and each outcome is a shared achievement.

“Working with Studio Santi means experiencing professionalism paired with passion and expertise enriched by humanity. That is why partnerships formed decades ago still thrive today. Trusted to shape low-carbon ecosystems, we envision a future of abundance through the union of scientific knowledge and creative application, much like the Renaissance’s flowering of innovation and human potential,” says Professor Federico Santi, CEO and managing director.

The Complete Circuit

When a potential client meets with Studio Santi, the first question they are asked is not what they need but what they believe in. The firm grounds its mission in what Pope Francis described in Laudato Si’ as integral ecology; the conviction that sustainable development must unite environmental, social, technological and economic progress.

This vision is brought to life through rigorous analysis and examination. Clients often arrive with ambitious goals that must be tested against constraints. Studio Santi conducts feasibility studies, energy audits, grid analyses and environmental assessments, each incorporating cost projections and risk analysis to identify obstacles before they derail progress.

“We look at projects from a technical, regulatory and financial angle. Only then can a decision be sound. This multidisciplinary view removes uncertainty and allows clients to commit confidently,” explains Santi.

Once feasibility is established, design takes shape. Projects are developed from preliminary concepts through detailed engineering in civil, mechanical, electrical and digital systems. Advanced tools, from drone-based site surveys to building information modelling, are used to create digital twins. These virtual models guide procurement, plan construction sequences and lay the groundwork for operations and maintenance. Client teams are trained to use the platforms, ensuring operational independence long after handover.

During construction, Studio Santi acts as the owner’s engineer (OE), representing client interests as its own. It supervises construction quality, manages safety protocols and ensures compliance with national regulations and international standards.

“We integrate specialist studies that often determine viability. These include geotechnical surveys for foundations, archaeological assessments near heritage sites and agronomy where solar farms meet farmland,” says Francesco Castellani, technical director. “Nothing is peripheral. Every element affects the whole.”

This continuity enables clients to move from concept to completion without disruption.

After commissioning, Studio Santi’s role shifts to performance optimisation. The digital twins created during design become operational dashboards, displaying real-time sensor data that show asset performance, flag anomalies and identify opportunities for improvement. These platforms support predictive maintenance schedules, adaptive control systems and benchmarking. The result is higher yields, reduced downtime and extended equipment life.

Specialised Expertise in Solar and Beyond

Specific sectors demand expertise that is not widely available. In solar glare assessment, Studio Santi is a world leader. Using the Solar Glare Hazard Analysis Tool (SGHAT) developed by Sandia National Laboratories, it conducts glint-and-glare studies that consistently secure regulatory approval. This rare capability enables projects to reconcile solar expansion with operational safety.

One example is Aeroporti di Roma. For over a decade, Studio Santi has guided the airport’s energy masterplan and glare assessments for more than 60 MWp of photovoltaic systems along the runways. In January 2025, Fiumicino inaugurated Europe’s largest airport solar farm, a 22 MWp plant with battery storage systems built from reconditioned EV batteries. These systems are expected to eliminate 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

Navigating Public and Private Sectors

Public and private projects present different challenges. Public managers face legislative hurdles, procurement delays and political constraints. Studio Santi supports them with integrated strategies that may be less than ideal on paper but work in practice. Its engineers are so fluent in regulations that colleagues refer to them as “engineer-lawyers.”

In contrast, private initiatives hinge on project finance, market conditions and competitive returns. Here, economic expertise is the deciding factor. Santi is a board member of the Italian Association of Energy Economists, heads the Energy Prices Observatory and is a certified energy manager. His leadership demonstrates the firm’s ability to bridge engineering with economics, helping clients secure financing and investor confidence. In projects where Studio Santi provided lender engineering services, over 80 percent have successfully reached financial close.

“Together with a major Italian bank, we developed an innovative methodology to apply the ESCo model through project financing for supermarket energy efficiency. This has enabled the redevelopment of dozens of stores across Italy, cutting energy consumption by half and driving investments of around 100 million euros in just a few years,” says Santi.

Adapting to a Changing Energy Landscape

The energy sector is becoming more dynamic and Studio Santi keeps clients moving forward. Big data and machine learning are now embedded in projects. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are optimised across multiple electricity markets, refrigeration and air conditioning in logistics hubs are tuned for efficiency and energy audits are monitored in real time. Current pilots extend to predictive maintenance, grid flexibility and virtual power plant aggregation. These innovations turn static assets into adaptive systems that are intelligent, flexible and resilient.

Investors and lenders are assured that projects meet international and local standards. Due diligence and compliance reviews follow frameworks like the Equator Principles and IFC Performance Standards.

“This has made us a trusted partner for international financing institutions. As OE and lender engineer, we safeguard the technical success of a project and its financial and environmental sustainability,” says Castellani.

What begins with feasibility studies often grows into long relationships. Clients stay not only because projects succeed but because the experience of working with Studio Santi is distinctive—an integrated partnership where sound economics align with sound engineering and integrity keeps partnerships alive.

Studio Santi’s Bright Spots

A closer look at Studio Santi’s portfolio highlights pioneering work in energy storage, renewal integration and building electrification and rural electrification, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted partner in the energy transition.

Well before BESS became mainstream, the firm had applied its expertise to battery systems, long-duration storage and, most notably, thermal energy storage (TES). With Magaldi Group (MG), a global leader in high-temperature material handling, it helped develop MGTES, a technology based on a fluidised bed of silica sand. MGTES can operate on both electric and thermal charge and during discharge, it generates steam between 250 °C and 400 °C. A 14 MWh pilot plant is already in experimental operation in Italy, with a formal inauguration expected soon.

Studio Santi’s integrated services have enabled some of Italy’s most ambitious decarbonisation projects. The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome is one. Designed by Bazzani in the early 20th century, the museum displays more than 11,000 works across 100,000 cubic metres. Despite strict climate control and fire safety requirements, annual gas use was reduced by more than 600,000 cubic metres by converting the entire energy system to electricity. Efficiency upgrades further cut demand, with renewable sources now covering all residual needs. The result was a carbon-neutral museum with a payback period of under two years. The Gallery also became the first major Italian museum to certify an ISO 50001 Energy Management System, appointing a registered Energy Manager ahead of institutions such as the Louvre.

In Tanzania, Studio Santi has designed and now supervises the largest behind-the-meter photovoltaic plant under construction in East Africa: a 15 MWp solar farm located in a disused limestone quarry at Heidelberg Materials’ Twiga Cement facility. A three-kilometre, medium-voltage line connects the production directly to the plant, enabling full self-consumption and significant reductions in cost and emissions. The project marks Tanzania’s first large-scale solar farm and has established Studio Santi’s affiliate, the Tanzanian Centre of Excellence in Electrical Engineering Design, as a permanent regional presence.

The consultancy also leads a rural electrification programme in Tanzania with TANESCO and the University of Dar es Salaam. Using the innovative Iliceto Shield Wire Scheme, first developed for the World Bank, the project applies a low-cost distribution method along the 200 km Chalinze–Hale–Tanga transmission line to bring reliable power to underserved communities. Beyond Tanzania, Studio Santi is active in Mauritius, where it is supervising a 30 MW photovoltaic and storage project, further expanding its renewable portfolio across East Africa.

People, Presence and Purpose

For Studio Santi, success in the energy sector depends on people. Its 30+ engineers work as one integrated team, operating within international standards such as ISO 9001 for Quality, ISO 50001 for Energy and ISO 14001 for the Environment. These frameworks ensure that commitments are systematically verified and continuously improved.

Leadership strengthens this culture of excellence. Santi is a professor at Sapienza University of Rome, a visiting professor at the University of Dar es Salaam and a board member of the Italian Association for Energy Economics. He also serves as Energy Manager for state-owned companies, including ENAV, SOGEI and GNAM. Under his direction, Studio Santi has established its reputation in renewable and storage projects as well as in energy efficiency, becoming one of Italy’s most influential independent consultancies.

Innovation has earned recognition, including first prize in ENAV’s NexTower international competition for the design of Italy’s future control towers, followed by design verification for Milan Linate’s new tower in association with Bureau Veritas. With satellite offices in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Tanzania and Mauritius, Studio Santi combines local insight with international reach.

Each year, the firm funds about 100 scholarships for disadvantaged children in Tanzania, supporting education from primary school through university, with a focus on enabling girls to access quality schooling.

Studio Santi embodies a simple truth. The energy transition is about more than installing megawatts or reducing emissions. It is about people—engineers, clients and communities— working together to create enduring systems. That is the legacy Studio Santi continues to build.