SunEdison eyeing plans for the world's largest solar PV farm

US solar energy firm SunEdison looks set to accelerate its push into the booming southern European solar market with plans to build the world's largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Italy.

According to reports from news agency Reuters citing sources close to the project, SunEdison is at the advanced stage of planning for a new 60MW solar PV development in the northern Italian province of Rovigo and is expected to formally announce the project at an event later today.

The source added that the facility is expected to be up and running by the end of the year and will be larger than the 60MW Almedilla de Alarcon solar farm in Spain which is currently regarded as the world's largest operating PV solar facility.

The new facility is expected to use ground mounted solar panels that are capable of turning to track the sun's movement, and has reportedly obtained all necessary planning permissions.

SunEdison is one of the world's largest operators of solar PV farms, and currently manages over 96MW of photovoltaic solar power plants in North America.

The company is targeting the European market for expansion and last year shelled out an undisclosed sum to acquire Germany-based Business Institute Solar Strategy GmbH (BISS), snapping up offices in Germany, Spain, Italy and France, as well as access to over 300MW of European project opportunities.