Solar power is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources in the world and, with countries vying to assert dominance in the burgeoning industry, the leading nation is never clear for long.
Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, China
Four million solar panels stretch across 10 miles on the Tibetan Plateau in northwest China’s Qinghai province. The solar power plant has a capacity of 850MW, enough to power 200,000 homes.
In 2013, phase one of the solar power plant was completed, and phase two was completed in 2015 and cost around $920 million to build. Huanghe Hydropower Development developed the project and integrated with the Longyangxia Hydropower Plant (1280MW).
Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, India
Covering an area of 23 km in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, the Kurnool Solar Park has a generating capacity of 1,000 MW and cost approximately $1 billion to build. The site is capable of generating a whopping eight million kWh of electricity, which is enough to meet the entire electricity demand of the Kurnool district. More than four million solar panels have been installed in the solar power plant, each with a capacity ranging from 315W to 320W.
Four companies implemented the project: Prayatna Developers, Azure Power, Greenko Group and SBG Cleanteach Project.
Datong China Best Solar Power Brokers Base
Most solar power plants line up their solar panels in rows and columns to form a grid. However, the Datong Solar Power Plant is shaped like a panda and covers 100 hectares.
Several companies, including Datong United Photovoltaics New Energy, Datong Coal Mine Group, Huadian Shanxi Energy, JinkoSolar Holding, Yingli Green Energy, China Guangdong Nuclear Solar Energy, China Three Gorges New Energy, and State Power Investment, were involved in the development of solar power plants under the project.
A total of 1,070MW of capacity was operational in 2016, while an additional 600MW of development was announced.
Ten largest solar power plants in the world
- Tengger Desert Solar Park, China – 1,547MW
- Sweihan Photovoltaic Independent Power Project, UAE – 1,177MW
- Yanchi Ningxia Solar Park, China – 1,000MW
- Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base, China – 1,070MW
- Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, India – 1,000MW
- Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, China – 850MW
- Enel Villanueva PV Plant, Mexico – 828MW
- Kamuthi Solar Power Station, India – 648MW
- Solar Star Projects, US – 579MW
- Topaz Solar Farm / Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, US – 550MW
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