The production of energy from renewable sources has been a popular and important topic for many years and will remain so for a long time to come. The reasons are hard to understand, the resources from which we produce much of the energy today are exhaustible – they are supposed to be depleted in about 50 years, illegal logging has led to an increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and has contributed decisively to global warming, the burning of fossil fuels increases the amount of pollutants in the air and the demand for these fossil fuels is increasing.
But nature has inexhaustible sources of energy, these being the sun, wind, water and geothermal energy.
The signatory countries of the 2015 Paris Agreement agreed to try to keep global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. The plan was to increase investment in renewable energy sources. Thus, solar farms or photovoltaic plants appeared to replace the use of fossil fuels to obtain clean energy.
To understand the momentum of these technologies, let’s take a look at the figures below. The energy produced from solar energy with the help of photovoltaic panels has the fastest growth across the globe.
The top three major solar-producing countries are China, India, and the US, followed closely by the Middle East. Of course, large solar farms need space, which is why deserts in Asia and the Middle East are ideal for huge solar farms.
Some figures regarding photovoltaics:
- The photovoltaic market is an ever-growing market, with an annual growth of 35% year-on-year from 2010 to 2019
- China is the market leader in photovoltaic panel production, with a market share of 66%, followed by the rest of the Asia-Pacific countries (18%). Europe has a market share of only 3%.
- However, when it comes to the installation of photovoltaic panels, Europe has a market share of 24% and China 36%.
Globalproduction of photovoltaic panels by region
China’s dominant position can also be seen in the top 10 solar farms, with 4 solar farms in the top 10, two of which are in the top 3.
The forecasts for this photovoltaic market are promising, with a 50% growth forecast by 2024. This means an increase as much as all the installed capacity in the US alone today. Of this growth, 4% is represented by wind energy.
The regions with the highest growth forecast are the European Union, China and the USA.
An explosion of photovoltaic installations is also expected at the individual level, at commercial buildings and industrial facilities.
Knowing all these things, let’s see what the top five largest solar farms on the globe look like:
- TENGGER DESERT SOLAR PARK
Located in Zhongwei, Ningxia, nicknamed the “Great Solar Wall” in China, the park covers an area of 36.7km2 and has a capacity of 1,547 MW. The area occupied by these represents only 3.2% of the desert but is more than 10 times larger than New York’s Central Park.
The park is owned by China National Grid and Zhongwei Power Supply Company. Construction began in 2012 and in 2017 the park became operational. The solar park provides green energy for more than 600,000 homes.
- BHADALA SOLAR PARK
Located in India, on a 40km2 slope, it has a capacity of 1,365 MW. Expansion plans are underway for another 880 MW, surpassing the Tengger park in China. India’s goal is for 17% of its energy to be solar energy and this solar park will play a decisive role in achieving this goal.
- Sweihan Photovoltaic Independent Power Project, United Arab Emirates
Sweihan PV is located in Sweihan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The farm occupies an area of 7.8 km² and has an installed capacity of 1,177MW.
The plant was developed by a joint venture of Marubeni Corporation (20%), Jinko Solar (20%) and the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA, 60%), with an investment of $870 million. In April 2019, the plant became operational and delivers green electricity to more than 195,000 homes.
The model used by Sweihan is an innovative one that allows a low cost for electricity generation.
- Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base
Developed in Datong City, Shanxi Province, China, it has a capacity of 1,070 MW and has been operational since 2016. Development plans for an additional 600 MW are announced. The project is part of the plans of the China National Energy Administration to develop solar projects in the region.
- Yanchi Ningxia Solar Park, China
The solar park is located in Ningxia, China and has an installed capacity of 1,000MW. Operational since September 2016, the solar park is considered the largest series of continuous solar power in the world.
The components of the plant (Huawei PV smart controllers, wireless transmission) and central management of the park via the cloud make the plant able to be operated efficiently for 25 years.
Sources: www.originenergy.com www.iea.org https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de
