Abengoa Solar and E.ON Climate & Renewables have formed a 50:50 partnership that will see them jointly own and operate two 50MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in Spain. Costing around €550 million, the two plants will start operation in 2011 and 2012, respectively, and will produce enough power to supply 52,000 homes and avoid the emission equivalent to 63,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Santiago Seage, CEO of Abengoa Solar, explained: "Having E.ON on as a partner in these projects will allow us to continue growing at the speed we want and to improve our capabilities in areas where E.ON has extensive experience".
The plants in Ecija will utilize Parabolic Trough technology, a solution developed in the 1980s that Abengoa Solar has in recent years tested and enhanced at the Solúcar Platform plants in Sanlúcar la Mayor, Seville.
Frank Mastiaux, CEO of E.ON Climate & Renewables said: “Solar Power will be the next strong pillar in E.ON’s renewables portfolio. Our entry into CSP complements our recent moves into the photovoltaic business and we will now stand on two feet in solar in the future. I am also delighted to be working with Abengoa. We have found an experienced partner with whom we want to drive CSP to new levels of performance”.
E.ON and Abengoa Solar are founding members of the Desertec Industrial Initiative to develop secure renewable energy production in the desert regions of the Middle East and Northern Africa.
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