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Sydney, Jan 21, 2011 (ABN Newswire) - Enel Green Power & Sharp Solar Energy ('ESSE'), a 50/50 joint venture established in July 2010 between Sharp Corporation (TYO:6753) (PINK:SHCAY) and Enel Green Power (BIT:EGPW), has built a 5 MW photovoltaic plant in Calabria, Southern Italy.

This is the first plant built by ESSE, using Sharp's single crystalline solar cell modules. It has a capacity to generate about 7.5 million kilowatt hours per year, powdering approximately 2,800 average Italian households.

ESSE intends to build a number of power generation plants throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa with a total capacity of over 500MW by the end of 2016. The plants will use thin-film solar panels manufactured at a factory jointly owned, on an equal share basis, by Enel Green Power, Sharp and STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM).

The thin-film solar panel factory, currently under construction in Catania, Southern Italy, will start operation in late 2011. Sharp will provide technical assistance for starting initial operations. When fully operational, the plant will have an annual production capacity of 480 MW, making it the largest photovoltaic panel manufacturing plant in Italy and one of the largest in Europe.

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