Photovoltaic Power Stations

Solar photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity and many solar photovoltaic power stations have been built, mainly in Europe.[1] As of January 2009, the largest photovoltaic (PV) power plants in the world are the Parque Fotovoltaico Olmedilla de Alarcon (Spain, 60 MW), the Moura photovoltaic power station (Portugal, 46 MW), and the Waldpolenz Solar Park (Germany, 40 MW). Several other PV power plants were completed in Spain in 2008: Planta Solar Arnedo (30 MW), Parque Solar Merida/Don Alvaro (30 MW), Planta solar Fuente Álamo (26 MW), Planta fotovoltaica de Lucainena de las Torres (23.2 MW), Parque Fotovoltaico Abertura Solar (23.1 MW), Parque Solar Hoya de Los Vincentes (23 MW), Huerta Solar Almaraz (22.1 MW), Solarpark Calveron (21 MW), and the Planta Solar La Magascona (20 MW).[1]

Many of these plants are integrated with agriculture and some use innovative tracking systems that follow the sun’s daily path across the sky to generate more electricity than conventional fixed-mounted systems. There are no fuel costs or emissions during operation of the power stations.

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World’s largest Photovoltaic Power Stations

1. Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park, Spain – 60MW. Completed September 2008
2. Puertollano Photovoltaic Park, Spain – 47MW. Completed 2008
3. Moura photovoltaic power station, Portugal – 46.4MW. Completed December 2008
4. Waldpolenz Solar Park, Germany – 40MW. 550,000 First Solar thin-film CdTe modules. Completed December 2008
5. Arnedo Solar Plant, Spain – 30MW. Completed October 2008
6. Merida/Don Alvaro Solar Park, Spain – 30MW. Completed September 2008
7. Planta solar Fuente Álamo, Spain – 26MW.
8. SinAn power plant, Korea – 24 (MW). Completed October 2008
9. Planta fotovoltaica de Lucainena de las Torres, Spain – 23.2MW. Completed August 2008
10. Parque Fotovoltaico Abertura Solar, Spain – 23.1MW
11. Parque Solar Hoya de Los Vincentes, Spain – 23MW
12. Huerta Solar Almaraz, Spain – 22.1MW. Completed September 2008
13. Solarpark Calveron, Spain – 21.2MW
14. Huerta Solar Almaraz, Spain – 20MW. Completed September 2008
15. Planta solar fotovoltaico Calasparra, Spain – 20MW
16. Planta Solar La Magascona, Spain – 20MW
17. Beneixama photovoltaic power plant, Spain – 20MW. Tenesol, Aleo and Solon solar modules with Q-Cells cells
18. Gochang power plant, Korea – 15MW. Completed October 2008
19. Planta de energía solar Mahora, Spain – 15MW. Completed September 2008
20. Koethen, Germany – 14.75MW. 200,000 First Solar thin-film CdTe modules. Completed December 2008
21. Nellis Solar Power Plant, USA – 14MW. 70,000 solar panels
22. Planta Solar de Salamanca, Spain – 13MW. 70,000 Kyocera panels
23. Parque Solar Guadarranque, Spain – 13.6MW
24. Lobosillo Solar Park, Spain 12.7MW. Chaori and YingLi modules
25. Parque Solar Fotovoltaico Villafranca, Spain – 12MW. High concentration PV technology
26. Erlasee Solar Park, Germany – 12MW. 1,408 Solon mover
27. Serpa solar power plant, Portugal – 11MW. 52,000 solar modules
28. Pocking Solar Park, Germany – 10MW. 57,912 solar modules
29. Monte Alto photovoltaic power plant, Spain – 9.5MW
30. Viana Solar Park, Spain – 8.7MW
31. Gottelborn Solar Park, Germany – 8.4MW
32. Alamosa photovoltaic power plant, USA – 8.2MW. Completed December 2007
33. Bavaria Solar Park in Muhlhausen, Germany – 6.3MW. 57,600 solar modules
34. Huerta solar de Aldea del Conde, Spain – 6.3MW. Completed October 2007
35. Huerta Solar Crevillent, Spain – 6MW. Completed January 2008
36. Huerta Solar de Olmedilla, Spain – 6MW. Completed November 2007
37. Rote Jahne Solar Park, Germany – 6MW. 90,000 First Solar thin-film modules
38. Darro Solar Park, Spain – 5.8MW. Conergy and SunPower modules
39. Kameyama, Japan – 5.2MW

Large systems in planning or under construction

Rancho Cielo Solar Farm, USA – 600MW. Thin film silicon from Signet Solar**
Topaz Solar Farm, USA – 550MW. Thin film silicon from OptiSolar **
High Plains Ranch, USA – 250MW. Monocrystaline silicon from SunPower with tracking **
Mildura Solar concentrator power station, Australia – 154MW. Heliostat concentrator using GaAs cells from Spectrolab**
KCRD Solar Farm, USA – 80MW. Scheduled to be completed in 2012 **
DeSoto County Florida, USA – 25MW. To be constructed by SunPower for FPL Energy, completion date 2009.*
Davidson County solar farm, USA – 21.5MW. 36 individual structures**
Cádiz solar power plant, Spain – 20.1MW*
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA – 10MW. To be constructed by SunPower for FPL Energy, completion date 2010.**

* Under construction; ** Proposed