SunEdison to Build World’s Largest Solar PV Plant in Italy

For a short time, it looks like Maryland-based SunEdison will own and operate the world’s largest utility-scale photovoltaic power plant in the world. To be built in the Veneto province of northeastern Italy, the 72-megawatt plant will surpass the 60-mW Olmedilla power plant in Spain and create enough solar power in its first year to power more than 17,000 homes.

Alas, SunEdison will probably hold the world title for only a little while. While construction of the Veneto plant should be complete by the end of the year, China and First Solar are fast on SunEdison’s heels with a gargantuan 2-gigawatt thin-film PV plant set to begin construction this year. That plant won’t be completed until 2019, but just one-twentieth of the First Solar plant is enough to dwarf SunEdison’s Italian venture.

Nevertheless, the Italian plant is a significant step for SunEdison and the growing utility-scale PV industry. SunEdison is now a subsidiary of MEMC Electronic Materials, a world leader in production of polysilicon, and currently manages nearly 100 mW of PV power plants in North America. The 72-mW Veneto plant will increase SunEdison’s share of the PV market considerably and expand operations into the fast-growing European market, although parent MEMC is no stranger to European PV.

Via CleanTechnica

Photo Credit: Italy Travel Guide

Posted on March 22nd in Solar News by Dan.