Shell Builds Solar Power Plant in Germany

Shell (UK/Netherlands), oil concern, is building a solar power plant in Bavaria, Germany. The plant is to be the largest solar power station in the world, supplying electricity to about 3,300 households. The oil concern Total (France) will have a wind power plant with an output of 1,000 MW near the Belgian coast by 2010. Oil firms invest a big part of their incomes in the research and development of alternative energy resources. They include also the oil concern BP (UK), which has started a campaign titled Beyond Petroleum. BP has been involved in research in the field of solar technology for 31 years. It is Europe’s largest maker of photovoltaic equipment. In the past five years BP has invested USD 500 mil in photovoltaics.