German utility E.ON has opened a new 50MW onshore wind farm called 'Barao Sao Joao' in southern Portugal. According to the company, the new wind farm cuts CO2 emissions by about 60 tonnes annually.

The company said that the commissioning of the new wind farm in Portugal will further strengthen its portfolio of renewable energies in southern Europe.

Frank Mastiaux, CEO of E.ON Climate & Renewables: said: ”Alongside the US, the Iberian peninsula is part of our strategic target region for the expansion of onshore wind energy.

”While we are systematically expanding offshore wind technology in northern Europe, especially in the UK, Denmark and Germany, southern Europe is an ideal terrain for us for the development of onshore technology and for the use of solar energy.”

In Spain and Portugal, E.ON operates onshore wind farms with a total capacity of 360MW. In all, E.ON has onshore wind plants with a capacity of over 2,756MW in Europe and the US.

In German, UK and Danish waters, E.ON operates plants with a capacity of about 300MW, some of them together with partners, over 400MW are being constructed and roughly 4,000MW are at the planning and development stage.