"Nothing is endless, but, as an energy source for the earth, the sun is likely to last a few billion years yet," smiles Jurgen Van Damme, Enfinity's marketing officer. Companies using the panels avoid energy transmission and distribution costs. "Increasingly, as nations seek to find alternative sources, we will need to trap this energy that flows daily from the sun."

Formed in 2005, Enfinity has already made its mark globally, and it recently signed a lucrative deal to develop China's largest and first photovoltaic (solar powered) electricity generating station in the country´s north-western Gansu province.

"The project is expected to start construction later this year and has to be completed within 18 months," says Enfinity co-founder Gino Van Neer. "Winning this bid is an important milestone for Enfinity´s international expansion strategy and will act as an entrance ticket towards the potentially lucrative Asian market."

Further success has come with another recent deal, this time with Lidl, the leading cut-price supermarket chain. Enfinity will install and maintain solar systems at Lidl´s stores and logistics centres throughout Europe. This is a sign, says Van Neer, that the German-based chain intends to focus more on solar technology for generating "environmentally-friendly electricity".

"Enfinity provides extensive regional experience and knowledge of the markets in those countries where the solar systems for Lidl will be constructed," Van Neer explains. "Our experience in the fields of financing, construction and operating, combined with a highly-qualified staff, will contribute to the success of this trans-European project."

Nearer to home, the company has recently installed PV solar panels on the roof of Merckx, a Flemish manufacturer of industrial glue, which Merckx hopes will enable it to "secure a relatively stable electricity price over the next 20 years that is lower than the usual rate."

Enfinity itself has seen major growth in the four years since its launch. Turnover has soared from €200,000 in 2006 to some €83 million last year. Employment at the company, based at Waregem, West Flanders, has now reached 110 employees.

Van Neer said the aim is to triple turnover by the end of 2009 with foreign sales accounting for some 90% of the increase. Despite the economic downturn, he says the company is confident that it can achieve this level of growth through the continued development of solar power projects on company and residential roofs.

There are also plans to exploit the fast-growing demand to generate electricity through wind energy, says Van Neer, whose company has been awarded a "green power" certificate by the Flemish government for its work in the renewable energy sector.

"Access to energy has become a worldwide concern," says Van Neer. "Our planet supplies us with an abundance of wind and, thanks to technological advances, we are now able to transform this resource into green energy."

To achieve this, his company has adopted what he calls a "unique" approach to wind energy with the creation of a "wind knowledge centre." Staffed by a 12-strong team of experts, the centre supports a variety of initiatives in wind energy.

Enfinity also installs recycled solar panels in third world countries. Van Neer explains: "We help provide lighting for classrooms for evening lessons and women´s groups, as well as facilitating refrigeration for medicines - all in places where this was not previously possible or the cost was prohibitive."

Future plans include the installation of solar panels on the roofs of Belgian companies in some 15 municipalities over the next two years."This will provide 5,500 households with green power," says Van Neer. Several leading companies - including McBride, Weba, BX Textiles and Willy Naessens -are involved in this project.

"At the moment, Enfinity mainly focuses on solar energy based on PV technology," he says. "But we also increasingly take into account other technologies such as concentrated solar power, wind power and biomass power."

Apart from Belgium, Enfinity is already active in six countries, including Italy, Spain, France, Greece, the United States and Canada, with the number of countries expected to rise to 30 by the end of this year. "Over the next two years, we want to install about 900,000 square metres of solar panels on the roofs of companies in Belgium alone," says Van Neer.

He says that companies that invest in solar power stand to benefit not only economically but also by "communicating an environmentally-friendly" image. "As the saying goes, it is a win-win situation for all concerned."

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