As the world scrambles to find solutions to our energy needs, solar power has emerged as a shining star on the horizon. And at the forefront of this solar revolution are some of the world’s largest solar power plants, vast complexes that harness the power of the sun to generate electricity on a massive scale.
But just how big are these behemoths of clean energy? And what kind of technology do they use to turn the sun’s rays into electricity? In this story, we will delve into the inner workings of the world’s biggest solar power plants and uncover the secrets of their size and success. With a combined capacity of over 15,000 megawatts, these solar giants are truly in a league of their own.
So come with us as we explore the cutting-edge technology and awe-inspiring scale of the world’s largest solar power plants.
According to data from EcoWatch, in 2022, the United States saw a significant increase in solar panel installations, with enough panels being installed to power 22 million homes. This contributed to the global total of solar-generated electricity, which currently accounts for approximately 3.6% of the world’s electricity.
In the US alone, solar power offsets over 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, helping to mitigate the impact of climate change. Furthermore, studies show renewable energy investments can be recovered within six years.
The 10 largest solar power plants in the world are listed below:
China and India currently hold the top three positions in terms of renewable energy capacity. These rapidly developing economies have prioritized the building of renewable energy sources in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce carbon emissions.
1) Bhadla Solar Park
Location – Rajasthan, India
Capacity – 2,245 MW
The Bhadla Solar Plant is the largest solar plant in the world as of 2022. The multi-billion-dollar park powers over 1.3 million homes and is spread out over 14,000 acres.
It has helped create more than 25,000 jobs, both direct and indirect, and was completed in just 18 months. The plant is a part of India’s move towards clean energy as the nation works to reduce its emission and carbon footprint. The location of the plant has been described as nearly unlivable as temperatures vary between 46 and 48 degrees Celsius.
The state of Rajasthan aims to generate nearly 25% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
India is the third largest energy consuming country in the world, and has set a goal of expanding its renewable energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030.
2) Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park
Location – Qinghai, China
Capacity – 2,200 MW
Close on the heels of the Bhadla Solar Park is China’s mammoth project — The Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park developed by a state-owned power company. One of the largest solar power plants in the world, it required an investment of nearly $2.2 billion.
The plant is spread across 564 acres and became operational in 2020. It is a part of a 16GW renewable power complex.
China is on track to meet its 33% electricity consumption target from renewables by 2025 and has been aggressively building up the required infrastructure.
According to China’s energy regulator National Energy Administration (NEA), China’s installed renewable generation capacity totaled 1,063 GW in 2021, accounting for 44.8% of the nation’s total generation capacity.
The Chinese government has plans in place to build solar and wind energy generation capabilities in the desert area of north and west China.
3) Pavagada Solar Park
Location – Karnataka, India
Capacity – 2,050 MW
The Pavagada Solar Park is the third largest solar power plant in the world and second largest in India. Locally, it is also known as the Shakti Sthala Solar Power Plant.
Spread across 13,000 acres of land, the park was planned to reduce dependency on traditional power sources. It has been developed as a joint venture between the Karnataka Solar Park Development Corporation Limited (KSPDCL), a joint venture between the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and the Karnataka Renewable Energy (KREDL).
Karnataka capped new solar parks at 0.2 GW after launching Pavagada.
The park has been built on drought-hit land. Despite the switch to renewable power sources, the local community has been struggling with keeping the solar panels clean from dust.
4) Benban Solar Park
Location – Aswan Governorate, Egypt
Capacity – 1,650 MW
The Benban Solar Park is named after a Nile river village close by, and houses 32 power plants, each with a capacity of 50 MW. It will generate 1650 MW of electricity, enough to power thousands of homes and businesses.
The project site was chosen after extensive research, based on studies by NASA and other international scientific institutions. The park has four transformer stations to discharge the energy produced by the solar stations.
The entire complex helps the country avoid roughly two million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year, the equivalent of taking about 400,000 cars off the road.
Egypt is Africa’s largest user of natural gas and oil, and the power plant will help it cut down on carbon emissions.
Egypt is considered a “sun belt” country as it receives 2,000 to 3,000 kWH/m2/ year of solar radiation.
5) Tengger Desert Solar Park
Location – Ningxia, China
Capacity – 1,547 MW
The Tengger Desert Solar Park supplies power to over 600,000 homes. The photovoltaic industrial park covers over 43,000 square kilometers and has been dubbed “The Great Wall of Solar.”
Ningxia is situated at a high altitude and has long hours of sunshine, making it ideal for energy projects.
Once the base is put into operation, its annual electricity output is set to reach 5.78 billion KW, equivalent to saving 1.92 million tons of standard coal per year.
Today, China has the world’s largest renewable power capacity, including 323 GW of solar, around a third of the entire global total.
Experts state that China’s transformation is a lesson that the global green energy goals are achievable.
6) Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Plant
Location – Sweihan, UAE
Capacity – 1,177MW
The Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Plant has 3.2 million solar panels and provides electricity to over 90,000 individuals.
The solar plant contributes to a carbon emissions reduction of 1 million metric tons per year. It is one of the world’s largest single-site solar PV projects.
The panels are cleaned once a day by robots and do not need water. The robotic system cleans 800 km of panels every 24 hours.
It is owned and operated by the Sweihan PV Power Company (SPPC). Noor Abu Dhabi is one of the first initiatives to deliver the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), if the world is to reach net zero by 2050, almost 90% of electricity will need to come from renewable sources, with solar and wind likely accounting for most.
7) Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
Location – Saih Al-Dahal, Dubai
Capacity – 1,013 MW
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park with a planned capacity of 5,000MW by 2030. It is one of Dubai’s key initiatives to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy (DCES) 2050.
The power plant is spread across a total area of 77 square kilometers and is based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.
Once completed, it will help save over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emission annually.
The solar park also includes an Innovation Center, along with an impressive research and development center that includes PV solar and CSP testing facilities and a solar-powered water desalination plant.
In October 2022, officials announced that the plant now has a production capacity of 1,827 MW. It is part of Dubai’s strategies to provide 100% of total power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
Built in stages, its sixth stage will start becoming operational in 2025.
8) Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park
Location – Andhra Pradesh, India
Capacity – 1,000 MW
The Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park is spread across 24 square kilometers and has a capacity of 1,000 MW. Situated in an arid region, the park utilizes over 4 million solar panels with capacities of 315 and 320 watts.
The solar park is a combination of state and central government partnership. The park’s energy conscious aims extend to its water needs as well. The water used to clean the solar panels is provided from a reservoir created for rain water harvesting.
Ernst & Young ranked India as one of the world’s most attractive solar markets, considering the country’s aggressive push towards renewable energy.
Energy economist Vibhuti Garg, at India’s Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, told NPR “In the financial year 2021-22, we saw a record of $14.5 billion investment in renewable energy alone.”
India’s National Electricity Plan outlines a 24% increase in solar power production targets for 2027.
9) Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base
Location – Datong City, China
Capacity – 1,000 MW
The Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base is spread across 100 hectares and has been operational since 2016.
It is the first plant to be built under a scheme agreed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Panda Green Energy’s major shareholder, China Merchants New Energy.
The project is part of China’s efforts to advance solar projects in the region. China’s usage of renewable energy sources is expected to surpass 50% as a percentage of overall energy use increments by 2025.
As the world’s largest CO2 emitter, China is working on reducing its emissions. By moving away from coal-powered energy, it will see a reduction in air pollution and smog in its cities.
10) NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park
Location – Andhra Pradesh, India
Capacity –978 MW
The NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park occupies over 32 square kilometers, with the first phase being commissioned in 2016. It is also known as Ananthapuram – I Ultra Mega Solar Park or Kadiri Ultra Mega Solar Park.
The land was acquired from farmers and leased to five major private power generators. The power generated was to be purchased by the Solar Energy Corporation of India and then sold to other companies.
Currently, India has over 40 major solar plants that generate at least 10 MW of power.
According to Statista, the solar energy capacity of India peaked at around 49.7 GW in 2021.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards the development of floating solar farms as a means of saving land and reducing the need for additional infrastructure. Researchers have also developed solar power beams that can be beamed from space to power up systems on Earth.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that the deployment of renewable electricity technologies is expected to continue at record levels, but notes that government and financial support will be crucial in accelerating the implementation of these technologies in order to reach net zero emissions goals.
