BERLIN, Sept.1 (Xinhua) -- The world's biggest solar electric power plant went into service in south Germany on Friday, local reports said.

More than 1,400 movable solar modules will collect the sun's rays and provide electricity for around 3,500 households, said Deutsche Presse-Agentur in a report Friday.

Solon AG, the solar company, has invested 70 million euros in the project, which took 15 months to complete.

Located on a 77-hectare field near the town of Arnstein in the state of Bavaria, the plant will have an output of 12 megawatts when fully operational.

Germany invested 3.7 billion euros in solar energy last year as part of its drive for renewable energy along with wind power and biomass.

Solar energy accounts for less than one percent of the country's energy needs, but the figure is expected to exceeds five percent by 2020, according to the German Solar Energy Association BSW. Enditem