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:
Solar power is a major contributor to electricity supply in Australia. As of December 2023, Australia's over 3.69 million solar PV installations had a combined capacity of 34.2 GW photovoltaic (PV) solar power. In 2019, 59 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 2,881 MW were either under construction, constructed or due to start construction having reached financial closure. Solar accounted for 12.4% of Australia's total electrical energy production in 2021.
Spain is one of the first countries to deploy large-scale solar photovoltaics, and is the world leader in concentrated solar power (CSP) production.
India's solar power installed capacity was 87.21 GW AC as of 31 July 2024. India is the third largest producer of solar power globally.
For solar power, South Asia has the ideal combination of both high solar insolation and a high density of potential customers.
Historically, the main applications of solar energy technologies in Canada have been non-electric active solar system applications for space heating, water heating and drying crops and lumber. In 2001, there were more than 12,000 residential solar water heating systems and 300 commercial/ industrial solar hot water systems in use. These systems presently comprise a small fraction of Canada's energy use, but some government studies suggest they could make up as much as five percent of the country's energy needs by the year 2025.
A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant, is a large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power system designed for the supply of merchant power. They are different from most building-mounted and other decentralized solar power because they supply power at the utility level, rather than to a local user or users. Utility-scale solar is sometimes used to describe this type of project.
Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). As of July 2024, South Africa had 2,287 MW of installed utility-scale PV solar power capacity in its grid, in addition to 5,791 MW of rooftop solar and 500 MW of CSP. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.
Solar power in New Zealand is increasing in capacity, despite no government subsidies or interventions being available. As of the end of April 2024, New Zealand has 420 MW of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) solar power installed, of which 146 MW (35%) was installed in the last 12 months. In the 12 months to December 2023, 372 gigawatt-hours of electricity was estimated to have been generated by grid-connected solar, 0.85% of all electricity generated in the country.
Renewable energy in Nepal is a sector that is rapidly developing in Nepal. While Nepal mainly relies on burning biomass for its energy needs, solar and wind power is being seen as an important supplement to solve its energy crisis. The most common form of renewable energy in Nepal is hydroelectricity.
Solar power in Chile is an increasingly important source of energy. Total installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Chile reached 8.36 GW in 2023. Solar energy provided 19.9% of national electricity generation in Chile in 2023, compared to less than 0.1% in 2013.
Tororo Solar Power Station, also Tororo Solar North Power Station, is a 10 megawatts (13,000 hp) solar power plant in Uganda, the third-largest economy in the East African Community.
The Soroti Power Station is a 10 MW (13,000 hp) solar power plant in Uganda. It was the largest grid-connected, "privately-funded solar power plant at opuyo, soroti district in uganda, outside of South Africa" at its commissioning and until the Pilot Solar Power Plant (20MW) of The Xsabo Group in Kabulasoke in Central Uganda was completed and commissioned in January 2019.
Butwal Solar PV Project is located at Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province, Nepal. The plant is owned and run by Ridi Hydropower Development Company Ltd, an IPP. The plant came in operation in October 2020.
Mithila 2 Solar PV Station is a 10 MW solar power plant located at Dhanusha District, Madesh Province; Nepal. The plant is owned and under construction by Eco Global Power Development Pvt. Ltd., an IPP. The plant is planned to come in operation in February 2024.
