E.ON Climate & Renewables has made solar power a clear focus of its Renewables growth strategy. In the next three years E.ON plans to help drive the industry forward so that solar power enjoys the same level of maturity that the wind sector has today.

E.ON already has a pipeline of around 450 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) farms in France and Italy and recently opened an office in Denver to develop further projects in the USA.

'Using our energy expertise and project management skills we are looking to drive the solar business from boutique to industrial as we are doing with the wind industry' said Christophe Jurczak, E.ON Climate & Renewables Director of Solar PV. 'Working partners from around the globe we aim to bring down costs and increase efficiency'.

With around 50 megawatts of PV farms in construction by mid 2011, E.ON is quickly growing its PV capacity.

In Italy alone E.ON Climate & Renewables is constructing four PV farms with a combined capacity of 16.3 megawatts.

'Civitella' in Taranto, a 6.1MWp PV farm and 'Frugarolo' in Alexandria, a 2.8MWp PV farm both using polycrystalline photovoltaic modules are due to start operating by the end of 2010.

"Costa de Nobili' in Pavia a 3.4 MWp farm and 'Nepi' in Viterbo, a 4 MWp where which the PV panels will track the sun are both due to go in operation in spring 2011.

E.ON sees tremendous growth in the solar capacity over coming years. By 2020 some estimated that global PV capacity could reach 140 gigawatts.

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