(AGI) Rome, May 12 - Eni is launching a plan for domestic renewable energy. Claudio Descalzi, CEO, announced during an interview with Corriere della Sera: "We now want to promote renewables, taking advantage of our potential. This does not mean we are changing the face of our oil and gas core business. We are reiterating an environmentally-friendly commitment. In the field of solar energy, we could become the third Italian group." The plan envisages an initial 420 megawatt solar panel implementation phase, in Italy and abroad, which will rank Eni among the top three Italian photovoltaic producers and among the first ten in Europe. Eni is ready to kick off in Asia, Africa and Italy. "The first two projects have been allocated investments and we will begin by the end of the year in order to be operational by the end of 2017. This will be in Egypt where we envisage up to 150 megawatt plants and in Pakistan with 50 megawatts," said Descalzi. Projects will be carried out in all the countries where there is "an upstream base, and especially in North African locations like Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and, later, in Nigeria and Indonesia." As for Italy, Descalzi added: "Working in Asia and Africa, we have realised that we have great domestic assets. In Syndial, there are 4000 hectares of land, most of which have been reclaimed, already fenced, which are close to our plants and the grid. It would just be a matter of placing the solar panels. From this heritage, we have selected 400 hectares in six regions: Sardinia, Sicily, Calabria, Apulia, Liguria and Basilicata. We will first kick off with five projects, then with nine more for a total of 220 megawatts. We could become the third photovoltaic power producer, and among the first ten in Europe. And we still have great potential, if we consider the remaining 3600 hectares." (AGI)
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