German utility RWE plans to install 1,000 MW of solar PV capacity on the roofs of commercial buildings in Germany, Financial Times Deutschland reported Wednesday, citing an RWE manager.
"Contracts over 200 MW are already signed," the head of RWE's distribution unit Hanns-Ferdinand Mueller told the daily, adding that his unit is in negotiations with a number of retail chains to install solar panels on the rooftops of supermarkets or warehouses.
This focus on solar power generation marks a change of strategy for RWE as Peter Terium will take over as new CEO on Sunday. So far, RWE has focused more on large-scale offshore wind projects that its renewables unit RWE Innogy is developing.
According to the Financial Times Deutschland, the new business model for small-scale solar PV will be driven by RWE's distribution unit, which has a budget of Eur170 million ($212 million) for such projects over the next three years.
