| Despite our best efforts, we are still far from capturing even a fraction of the sun's true energy potential. In fact, at any given moment, more than 10,000 times the total amount of solar energy used by Earth is hitting our planet . 🌎 |
But high-impact solar farms are a great way to harness that power and are driving some of the most ambitious clean energy projects.
The panels that extend over millions of hectares of natural environments contain an architectural and technical potential that is only just beginning. Deserts, mountains and rivers are now resources to achieve this, rather than obstacles.
The world is now home to amazing solar farms that produce billions of tons of electricity every year. Here are some of the most remarkable examples from around the world.
10. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
| The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the world’s largest solar farm. Concentrated on a single site, it has a planned production capacity of 5,000 MW . A true hub of innovation, its overall structure also houses a research and development center and a 3D printing laboratory. It is estimated that the farm will reduce carbon emissions by around 6.5 million tons each year . |
9. Crescent Dunes Project
| The billion-dollar Crescent Dunes project in the US stretches across acres of the Nevada desertGetty. This striking concept of desert design has resulted in the construction of the world’s first concentrated solar power plant, which stores energy using molten salt . It’s a form of solar thermal technology. That is, the rays are concentrated to heat a liquid that turns into steam and generates electricity using a turbine. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been able to produce power since 2019 due to a number of technical difficulties related to its almost incomprehensible size. Crescent Dunes remains intact, and perhaps one day, the right technology will allow it to reveal its revolutionary potential. |
8. O'Mega 1
| France hosts Europe's first floating solar farm projectAFP . The waters of Provence were indeed the ideal location to set up Europe's first floating solar farm. Located on the artificial lake of a former quarry, this project is made up of raft-like devices that offset thousands of tons of carbon emissions in the region each year . |
7. Sungrow Huainan Solar Farm
| This solar farm floats on a man-made lake created on the site of a former coal mine. From an aerial view, the sea of ​​blue panels that make up the farm could literally be mistaken for water itself. It consists of 166,000 panels and produces enough energy to power 15,000 homes . |
Building solar farms on water has many benefits that are not well known to the public: the panels stay cleaner longer due to the absence of dust, and the lower temperatures increase the overall energy yield. Self-healing solar panels could be the future of clean and reliable energy. It should also be noted that the panels also help limit evaporation and eutrophication of water.
To better understand green energy, we invite you to read our latest blog article on this subject.
6. Parc del Forum
5. The heart of New Caledonia
| German company Conergy has announced the construction of this heart-shaped solar park in order to encourage the island's residents to love solar . It is modeled after the Heart of Voh, a glade famous for its heart-shaped natural landscape in a sea of ​​mangroves that has adorned the covers of UNESCO books. |
4. Walt Disney World
This Mickey Mouse-shaped solar farm was built in 2016 on the grounds of Disney World. The iconic image is located near the resort's EPCOT theme park and consists of 50,000 panels. Since its energy needs were greater than those of this mouse, Disney World outdid itself a few years later with a project that included half a million panels.
3. The Burning Man Project
| The pioneering series of “ solar mountains ” is one of ten projects shortlisted for Burning Man’s 1,600-hectare flying ranch in the middle of the Nevada desert. Based on the festival of the same name, the system would generate around 300,000 kWh of clean energy per year. It would comprise four units, made from recycled wood and covered in photovoltaic solar panels. |
| Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France |
| Until recently, this solar farm was by far the largest in France. Its panels blend in perfectly with the landscape of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence mountain region, which peaks at more than 2,000 feet above sea level . The vast photovoltaic park was designed to cause as little harm as possible to the environment. Its panels were installed without concrete foundations, so the acres of grassy hills remain untouched, as shown in the photo above. |
1. Nanping City Solar Farm
 Fujian Province, China |
| The Nanping City Solar Park is another example of an ambitious project that pays homage to the natural terrain on which it was built. China’s massive expansion into solar power this decade is largely the result of the work of the people responsible for designing this marvel, Xinyi Solar. In good sunlight, the arrangement of these panels creates a geometric rendering of the Fujin Mountains . |
