NextEnergy Capital Launches Photovoltaic Partnership with Terni Energia

London, March 23^rd, 2009 – Terni Energiawill develop and construct 15MWp of PV solar parks in Southern Italy within 2010, NextEnergy’ssolar investment platform will invest over €70m.NextEnergy Capital, the European merchant bank focused on the renewable energy sector, announces today that it has established a strategic agreement with Terni EnergiaS.p.a., the Italian photovoltaic company.

The agreement aims to create a common platform for the acquisition and development of photovoltaic power plants for NextEnergy Capital in Italy for a total of at least 15MWp to be built and connected to the grid within 2010. The overall investment amount for NextEnergy will over €70m.Terni Group will provide site acquisition and development activities, and will supply turn-key photovoltaic power plants using up-to-date technologies, taking care of engineering, procurement and construction as well as operation and maintenance for a 20-years period, granting the top quality power plant release.The first solar power plants in Puglia have already been identified and designed.

The two Companies will soon announce the beginning of the construction of a first set of MWpin Southern Italy, in the second quarter of 2009. Michael F.H. Bonte-Friedheim, NextEnergy Capital’s co-founder, commented“The partnership with Terni is a further development to expand our presence in the Mediterranean area, specifically to enhance of our leading presence in the solar sector in Italy, which is one of the most attractive markets for photovoltaic nowadays”.