It takes the sun just three hours to send as much energy earthward as humans consume in a year. To put it another way, the sunlight hitting an area of just 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) in size would meet humans' entire primary energy needs.

Although solar is the renewable energy with the greatest potential, it met just 0.8 percent of Germany's electricity needs in 2008. Wind energy accounted for just over 8 percent. Wind is in the lead (and, for now, more economic). But solar is making up ground fast, and E.ON is playing an active role in its development. Our solar activities are managed by E.ON Climate & Renewables.

Currently, there are two ways to generate electricity from solar energy. The first is photovoltaics (PV): solar cells transform the sun's rays directly into electricity. The second is concentrated solar power (CSP): the sun's rays are concentrated to produce heat that generates steam to drive a turbine and generator, much like in a conventional power plant. A key element of E.ON Climate & Renewables' solar portfolio, next to its project development efforts, is Malibu, a joint venture with Schüco, the world's leading supplier of building envelopes. Malibu's facility for manufacturing a new generation of PV modules was officially opened in June 2009. This was also when the first phase of our solar farm in southern France, which uses Malibu solar modules, was completed.

Furthermore E.ON, together with 11 other companies, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a DESERTEC Industrial Initiative (DII). The objective of this initiative is to analyse and develop the technical, economic, political, social and ecological framework for carbon-free power generation in the deserts of North Africa. The DESERTEC concept, developed by the TREC Initiative of the Club of Rome, describes the perspectives of a sustainable power supply for all regions of the world with access to the energy potential of deserts.