The following is a list of photovoltaic power stations that are larger than 500 megawatts (MW) in current net capacity. [1] Most are individual photovoltaic power stations, but some are groups of co-located plants owned by different independent power producers and with separate transformer connections to the grid. Wiki-Solar reports total global capacity of utility-scale photovoltaic plants to be some 96 GWAC which generated 1.3% of global power by the end of 2016. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
The size of photovoltaic power stations has increased progressively over the last decade with frequent new capacity records. The 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant went online in 2010. Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park reached 200 MW in 2012. In August 2012, Agua Caliente Solar Project in Arizona reached 247 MW only to be passed by three larger plants in 2013. In 2014, two plants were tied as largest: Topaz Solar Farm, a PV solar plant at 550 MWAC in central coast area and a second 550-MW plant, the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm located in the far eastern desert region of California. [7] [8] These two plants were superseded by a new world's largest facility in June 2015 when the 579 MWAC Solar Star project went online in the Antelope Valley region of Los Angeles County, California. [9]
Gonghe Talatan Solar Park (in Gonghe County, Qinghai, China) as the largest solar park in the world with a capacity of 8,430 to 9,000 MW and with an area of 609 km2 in area, which is close to the land area of Singapore.
As with other forms of power generation, there are important regional habitat modification problems, such as the heat island effect, and the resulting stress to local threatened species. [10] Several planned large facilities in the U.S. state of California have been downsized due in part to such concerns. [11] [12]
The following is a list of operating solar farms that are 400 MW or larger.
These lists include a mixture of individual solar power plants and of groups of co-located projects, usually called solar parks. [13]
Name | Country | Location | Capacity MWDC or MWAC (*) | Annual output (GWh) | Land size (km2) | Year | Remarks | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gonghe Talatan Solar Park | China | 36°10′54″N100°34′41″E / 36.18167°N 100.57806°E | 8,430 | 345 [14] | 2022 | [ better source needed ] Numbers vary from 2.2 GW to 9.0 GW capacity. The higher number is chosen based on satellite data compared to other solar projects. Also known as Longyangxia Dam Solar Park. Not to be mistaken with the Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park, also located in Qinghai. Part of a planned 16 GW renewable project. | [15] [ better source needed ] [16] | |
Bhadla Solar Park | India | 27°32′22.81″N71°54′54.91″E / 27.5396694°N 71.9152528°E | 2,245 | 56 | 2018 | First farms commissioned in 2018, more farms are gradually added, expected to be expanded to 3.5 GW | [17] [18] [19] [20] | |
Pavagada Solar Park | India | 14°16′9″N77°24′50″E / 14.26917°N 77.41389°E | 2,050 | 53 | 2019 | In Karnataka state | [21] [22] | |
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park | United Arab Emirates | 24°45′N55°23′E / 24.750°N 55.383°E | 2,027 | 2022 | Phase I completed in 2013, followed by Phase II and III. Phase IV (including 250 MW PV) is under construction, as well as Phase V (first stage is completed). | [23] [24] [25] [26] | ||
Al Dhafra Solar project | United Arab Emirates | 2,000 | 21 | 2023 | Largest single-site project | [27] [28] | ||
Benban Solar Park | Egypt | 24°27′21.6″N32°44′20.4″E / 24.456000°N 32.739000°E | 1,650 | 3,800 | 37 | 2019 | In Aswan | [29] |
Tengger Desert Solar Park | China | 37°33′00″N105°03′14″E / 37.55000°N 105.05389°E | 1,547 | 43 | 2016 | In Zhongwei, Ningxia | [30] [31] | |
Sudair Solar PV Project | Saudi Arabia | 1,500 | 2023 | [32] | ||||
Kalyon Karapınar Solar Power Plant | Turkey | 37°47′26″N33°35′4.92″E / 37.79056°N 33.5847000°E | 1,350 | 20 | 2021 | 1350 MW fully operational | [33] [34] | |
NP Kunta | India | 14°01′N78°26′E / 14.017°N 78.433°E | 1,200 | 2021 | In Nambulapulakunta Mandal of Andhra Pradesh state. Total planned capacity 1500 MW | [35] [36] [37] [38] [20] | ||
Noor Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | 24°24′11″N55°16′07″E / 24.40306°N 55.26861°E | 1,177 | 8 | 2019 | At Sweihan | [39] [40] | |
Jinchuan Solar Park | China | 38°36′35″N102°08′22″E / 38.60972°N 102.13944°E | 1,030 | 90 | 2019 | In Jinchuan, Gansu | [20] | |
Danangouxiang Solar Park | China | 44°01′57″N90°20′41″E / 44.03250°N 90.34472°E | 1,020 | 92 | 2021 | In Mori Kazakh, Xinjiang | [20] | |
Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park | India | 15°40′53″N78°17′01″E / 15.681522°N 78.283749°E | 1,000 | 24 | 2017 | [41] | ||
Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base | China | 40°04′25″N113°08′12″E / 40.07361°N 113.13667°E , 40°00′19″N112°57′20″E / 40.00528°N 112.95556°E | 1,000 | 2016 | Total capacity will be 3 GW in 3 phases. | [42] [43] [44] | ||
Yanchi Solar Park | China | 38°09′48″N106°45′40″E / 38.1633714°N 106.7611986°E | 1,000 | 2016 | Last extension in 2019, up to 2,000 MW when complete. | [45] [46] [47] [48] | ||
Delingha Solar Park | China | 33°22′21″N97°12′39″E / 33.37250°N 97.21083°E | 970 | 2018 | First farms commissioned in 2018, expected to be expanded to 2 GW | [49] [50] | ||
Edwards Sanborn Solar and Energy Storage Project | United States | 875 | 2023 | Includes 3,320 MWh battery storage | [51] [52] | |||
Escatrón-Chiprana-Samper Solar Farm | Spain | 41°13′50″N0°15′38″W / 41.23056°N 0.26056°W | 850 | 31.7 | 2020 | Complex of 17 projects | [53] [54] | |
Xuan Thien - Ea Sup 1 | Vietnam | 831 | 2020 | 600MWac, four more units in planning | [55] | |||
Villanueva Solar Park | Mexico | 25°35′5″N103°2′42″W / 25.58472°N 103.04500°W | 828 | 1,700 [56] | 27.5 | 2018 | [57] [58] [59] | |
Lumina I and II Solar Project | United States | 828 | 2024 | 640 MWac | [60] | |||
Copper Mountain Solar Facility | United States | 35°47′N114°59′W / 35.783°N 114.983°W | 802* | 16.2 | 2016 | In Nevada. Fifth unit of 250MW added March 2021. | [61] | |
Al Kharsaah solar power plant | Qatar | 800 | 2022 | [62] | ||||
Mount Signal Solar | United States | 32°40′24″N115°38′23″W / 32.67333°N 115.63972°W | 794 | 1,197 | 15.9 | 2020 | Phase 1 of 206 MWAC in May 2014. Phase 3 of 254 MWAC in July 2018. Phase 2 of 154 MWAC completed in January 2020. Total 614 MWAC | [63] [64] [65] [66] |
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar | India | 24°28′49″N81°34′28″E / 24.48028°N 81.57444°E | 750 | 6.4 | 2018 | [67] [68] | ||
Solar Star (I and II) | United States | 34°49′50″N118°23′53″W / 34.83056°N 118.39806°W | 747 | 1,664 | 13 | 2015 | 579 MWAC, 747.3 MWDC. [69] | [70] [71] |
Charanka Solar Park | India | 23°54′N71°12′E / 23.900°N 71.200°E | 790 | 20 | 2012 | At Charanka village in Patan district of Gujarat. Capacity expected to go up to 790 MW in 2019. | [72] [73] [74] | |
Prospero Solar I and II | United States | 710 | 2021 | 550 MW(AC) | [75] | |||
Anhui Fuyang Southern Wind-solar-storage | China | 650 | 2023 | Floating solar, co-located with 550 MW wind, 300 MW storage | [ citation needed ] | |||
Kamuthi Solar Power Project | India | 9°21′16″N78°23′4″E / 9.35444°N 78.38444°E | 648 | 10.1 | 2017 | [76] [77] | ||
Roseland Solar | United States | 640 | 2023 | 500 MWac | [78] | |||
Frye Solar Power Plant | United States | 637 | 2024 | 500 MWac | [79] | |||
Atkina Solar Power Plant | United States | 631 | 2024 | 500 MWac | [80] | |||
Trung Nam Thuan Nam | Vietnam | 630 | 2020 | 450 MWac | [81] | |||
Spotsylvania Solar | United States | 38°14′50″N77°47′10″W / 38.2471°N 77.7862°W | 618 | 14 | 2021 | 4 phases completed in 2020 and 2021 | [82] | |
Solarpark Witznitz | Germany | 605 | 2024 | Largest single plant in Europe | [83] | |||
Taygete Solar | United States | 602 | 2023 | 459 MWac, built in two phases - Taygete I of 255 MWac and Taygete II of 204 MWac | ||||
Lawan-Purohitsar Solar Farm | India | 26°53′40″N72°03′31″E / 26.89444°N 72.05861°E | 600 | 2021 | [84] | |||
Dau Tieng Solar Power Project | Vietnam | 11°27′50″N106°13′00″E / 11.463827°N 106.216709°E | 600 | 2019 | Phases 1 and 2 June 2019; phase 3 completed September 2019 | [85] | ||
Bikaner Solar Farm | India | 600 | 2022 | [86] [87] | ||||
Francisco Pizarro Solar Farm | Spain | 590 | 2022 | [88] [89] | ||||
Hongshagang Solar Park | China | 574 | ? | Multi-phase project, expected to be expanded to 920 MW | [84] | |||
Desert Sunlight Solar Farm | United States | 33°49′33″N115°24′08″W / 33.82583°N 115.40222°W | 550* | 1,287 | 16 | 2015 | Phase I of 300 MWAC completed 2013. Phase II to final capacity completed January 2015. | [90] [91] [92] [93] |
Topaz Solar Farm | United States | 35°23′N120°4′W / 35.383°N 120.067°W | 550* | 1,268 | 19 [94] | 2014 | Gradually commissioned since February 2013. Reached final capacity November 2014. | [95] [96] [97] |
Wenzhou Taihan Solar Farm | China | 550 | 650 | 5 | 2021 | Floating solar farm over fish farm | [98] [99] | |
São Gonçalo Solar Farm | Brazil | 549 | 13 | 2020 | Phase II completed in February 2021, 306 MW Phase III under construction | [84] [100] | ||
Kenhardt Solar Power Complex Station | South Africa | 29°19′09″S21°09′33″E / 29.31917°S 21.15917°E | 540 | 2023 | [101] [102] | |||
Núñez de Balboa photovoltaic plant | Spain | 38°26′45″N6°13′16″W / 38.44583°N 6.22111°W | 500 | 10 | 2020 | [103] | ||
Yinchuan Xingqing Solar Farm | China | 500 | 2018 | [84] | ||||
Ibri II Solar Park | Oman | 500* | 2022 | [104] [105] | ||||
Wulanmulun Solar Park | China | 500 | 900 | 28 | 2021 | [106] [107] | ||
Oberon Solar Project | United States | 500 | 2023 | California, with 250 MW battery storage | [108] | |||
Roadrunner Solar Project | United States | 497 | 2019 | Texas | [109] | |||
Mula Photovoltaic Power Plant | Spain | 494 | 10 | 2019 | [110] | |||
Daggett Solar | United States | 482 | 2023 | California. Also includes 280 MW of energy storage | [111] | |||
CEME1 | Chile | 480 | 2024 | [112] | ||||
Travers Solar Project | Canada | 465* | 13.35 | 2022 | Largest photovoltaic power station in Canada | [113] | ||
Permian Energy Center | United States | 460* | 2019 | Texas | [114] | |||
Texas Solar Nova | United States | 452 | 2024 | Texas | [115] | |||
Trung Nam Thuan Nam solar power plant | Vietnam | 11°26′19″N108°50′51″E / 11.4386°N 108.8476°E | 450 | 2020 | [116] [117] | |||
Springbok Solar Farm | United States | 35°15′N117°58′W / 35.25°N 117.96°W | 443 | 717 | 5.7 | 2019 | 350 MWAC | [61] |
Radian Solar | United States | 415 | 2023 | 320 MWac, Texas | [118] | |||
Agua Caliente Solar Project | United States | 32°57.2′N113°29.4′W / 32.9533°N 113.4900°W | 410 | 740 | 9.7 | 2014 | 290 MWAC | [119] [120] [121] [122] [123] |
Ananthapuramu - II | India | 14°58′49″N78°02′45″E / 14.98028°N 78.04583°E | 400 | [124] | 17.0 | 2019 | At Talaricheruvu village in Tadipatri mandal of Anantapur district. Planned capacity 500 MW | [125] [126] |
Galiveedu solar park | India | 14°07′05″N78°27′31″E / 14.11806°N 78.45861°E | 400 | 2018 | In Galiveedu mandal of Kadapa district | [127] | ||
Mesquite Solar project | United States | 33°20′N112°55′W / 33.333°N 112.917°W | 400* | 1,140 | 9.3 | 2016 | In Arizona. Up to 700 MWAC when complete. | [61] |
Pirapora Solar project | Brazil | 400 | 2018 | Three phases (191.5 MW, 115 MW, 92.5 MW) | [128] | |||
Note: Power capacity in this table is given as the peak DC nameplate capacity of the panels. When this information is not available, the AC capacity after the inverter is given (identified with "*" next to the number). The AC capacity is usually significantly smaller than DC capacity, so the ranking may not be accurate for these plants. See Nominal power (photovoltaic)#Conversion from DC to AC for more information. |
Year(a) | Name of PV power station | Country | Capacity MW |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Lugo | United States | 1 |
1985 | Carrisa Plain | United States | 5.6 |
2005 | Bavaria Solarpark (Mühlhausen) | Germany | 6.3 |
2006 | Erlasee Solar Park | Germany | 11.4 |
2008 | Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park | Spain | 60 |
2010 | Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant | Canada | 97 |
2011 | Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park | China | 200 |
2012 | Agua Caliente Solar Project | United States | 290 |
2014 | Topaz Solar Farm (b) | United States | 550 |
2015 | Longyangxia Dam Solar Park | China | 850 |
2016 | Tengger Desert Solar Park | China | 1547 |
2019 | Pavagada Solar Park | India | 2050 |
2020 | Bhadla Solar Park | India | 2245 |
Also see list of photovoltaic power stations and list of noteworthy solar parks (a) year of final commissioning (b) capacity given in MWAC otherwise in MWDC |
This section needs additional citations for verification .(June 2021) |
Many countries and territories have installed significant solar power capacity into their electrical grids to supplement or provide an alternative to conventional energy sources. Solar power plants use one of two technologies:
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