Danish developer European Energy has connected a 103MW photovoltaic park in Italy to the grid.

The solar PV plant, in Apulia, is the largest built in the country to date.

Construction took one year.

The 1,500,000 square metre site, equivalent in size to 200 football pitches, will produce enough clean power to cover the electricity consumption of a city with 200,000 inhabitants annually.

European Energy chief executive Knud Erik Andersen said: “European Energy has invested a significant amount in this project and we have had a great cooperation with the Italian subcontractors.

“More than 400 people were involved in the construction and others will operate and maintain the activity during the 30-year lifecycle of the plant.

“Italy is an important market for us. We are ready to invest €800m in the next five years to develop other projects in Italy, where the sunny days and overall climate conditions make a Dane like me envious.

“This impressive solar plant in Italy is also a perfect example of European economic investment and cooperation.”

European Energy Italy project development head Alessandro Migliorini added: “The climate conditions and the sunny days in southern Italy are perfectly paired with cutting edge solar technology.

“The solar plant is made by a total of 275,000 latest generation modules and was engineered and built with the most advanced technology.

“The park is 50% more efficient than a similar park with five-year-old technology, which means that it will produce more energy in less space, reducing its footprint and landscape impact.”