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:
The Waldpolenz Solar Park is a 52-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station built by German developer and operator Juwi at a former military air base near Leipzig, Eastern Germany. When completed by the end of 2008, it was the world's largest thin-film solar park using CdTe-modules.
The Monte Alto photovoltaic power plant in Spain has a generating capacity of 9.55 megawatts peak (MWp) and will generate 14 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per annum. It cost 65 million euros [US$87 million].
EDF Renewables is a wholly owned subsidiary of the French utility EDF Group, specializing in renewable energy production. As an integrated operator, the Group develops and finances the construction of renewable energy facilities, and manages operations and maintenance for its own account and for third parties.
Solar power in France including overseas territories reached an installed capacity figure of 9,466 MW by the end of 2018 generating 10,196 GWh of power.
Solar power in Mexico has the potential to produce vast amounts of energy. 70% of the country has an insolation of greater than 4.5 kWh/m2/day. Using 15% efficient photovoltaics, a square 25 km (16 mi) on each side in the state of Chihuahua or the Sonoran Desert could supply all of Mexico's electricity.
Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). In 2016, South Africa had 1,329 MW of installed solar power capacity. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.
Ernsthof Solar Park is a photovoltaic power station near Dörlesberg, Wertheim, Germany. It has a capacity of 34.4 MWp making it the largest Solar Park in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Phase I of 6.88 MWp and covering an area of 16.6 hectares, consisted of 31,280 modules by LDK Solar Energy Systems was completed on March 30, 2010. The second phase of 7.25 MWp was completed in December 2010, and it was expanded to 29.5 MW and then to 34.4 MW, with over 120,000 modules being fitted in December. Ernsthof East is 6.8 MW and Ernsthof West is 27.5 MW. The total area is 85 ha. Ernsthof is part of the Tauberlandpark, a planned 72 MW solar park consisting of Ernsthof and Solarpark Gickelfeld, which has been delayed due to the political uncertainty of solar parks of over 10 MW receiving the FIT. They may need, instead, to sign a Power Purchase Agreement with the grid distribution power company, which is better than subdividing large projects into multiple smaller segments just to qualify for the FIT.
CGN's Xitieshan Solar Park is a 100 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station located in the Qinghai Province, China. Construction was completed in three phases, Xitieshan Phase I was 10 MW, Xitieshan Phase II was 30 MW, and Xitieshan Phase III was 60 MW. It was completed on 30 September 2011, and at the time was the largest grid connected photovoltaic power station in the world.
The Perleberg Solar Park is a photovoltaic power station, with an installed capacity of 35 megawatts (MW). It uses 144,144 solar panels manufactured by Chinese company Yingli. The panels are mounted at a fixed angle on posts that are driven into the ground, at a former military airport.
islaSol I, formerly known as SaCaSol II is a 32-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station under construction developed by Bronzeoak Philippines for San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. (SaCaSol), in La Carlota, Negros Occidental.
Mount Signal Solar, also known as Imperial Valley Solar Project, is a 594 MWp (460 MWAC) photovoltaic power station west of Calexico, California in the southern Imperial Valley, near the Mexican border. The facility is being developed and constructed by 8minutenergy Renewables in three phases, with two completed as of 2018. At full build-out, it will be one of the world's largest PV solar farms with a capacity of about 800 MWp (600 MWAC). The project has been supported by several environmental groups, as the power station was built on low productivity farmland.
Solar power in the United Arab Emirates has the potential to provide most of the country's electricity demand. While being a major oil producing country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken steps to introduce solar power on a large scale. However, solar power still accounts for a small share of energy production in the country. The country was the 6th top carbon dioxide emitter per capita in the world in 2009, with 40.31 tonnes, but is planning to generate half of its electrical energy by 2050 from solar and nuclear sources, targeting 44% renewables, 38% gas, 12% coal, and 6% nuclear energy sources.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a solar park spread over a total area of 77 km2 in Saih Al-Dahal, about 50 kilometers south of the city of Dubai. The plant was implemented by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The first phase of the project was commissioned on 22 October 2013.
islaSol II formerly known as SaCaSol III is a 48-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station under construction developed by Bronzeoak Philippines for San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. (SaCaSol), located in Negros Occidental, Philippines.
San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. is a Philippine energy company based in San Carlos, Negros Occidental that generates renewable energy particularly solar energy.
Solar power in Hungary is rapidly advancing, despite significant lagging behind most of the European states. By the end of 2015 Hungary had installed more than 110 megawatt (MW) of photovoltaics. The country's capacity robustly grew in 2016, reaching 225 MWs.
8minutenergy Renewables is an American photovoltaic (PV) developer of utility-scale PV power plants and energy storage.
AC Energy Inc. or simply AC Energy is the investment of Ayala Corporation in the power sector engaging primarily in greenfield or brownfield projects, renewable energy, and conventional technologies.
Touna Solar Power Station, is a planned 93 MW (125,000 hp) solar power plant in Mali. The privately owned power plant is expected to sell the energy produced to the national electric utility, Energie du Mali (EDM-SA), under a power purchase agreement, which has already been signed, as of December 2020.
