Top 10 Largest Solar Installations in the World

When most of us picture solar panels, we usually conjure up an image of a house with a few solar panels on the roof. However, around the world there are some absolutely massive solar farms that span thousands of acres and generate an inconceivable amount of energy. 

These farms are a giant step forward in the transition to renewable energy, so let’s take a look at the top 10 largest solar installations in the world.

1. Golmud Solar Park — China

The Golmud Solar Park, located in China, holds the title as the largest solar farm in the world with an impressive 2.8 GW of solar capacity, slightly edging out the next contender on the list. The park currently features close to seven million solar panels, all dedicated to generating renewable energy.

With plans to expand capacity to 16 GW in the next five to six years, the potential of the Golmud Solar Park is enormous. To put its scale into perspective, a single gigawatt can supply power to one million homes in the UK for an hour, or light up around 100 million LED bulbs.

2. Bhadla Solar Park — India

With a remarkable capacity of 2.7 GW, Bhadla Solar Park ranks as the second largest solar farm globally. Spanning 14,000 acres or about 56 square kilometres, it’s roughly 3% of London’s total area or just under Manhattan’s size. Positioned in Rajasthan, a region blessed with 7.57 kWh per m² per day of solar irradiance and around 300 sunny days annually, Bhadla is ideally situated for solar generation.

The region’s scant annual rainfall of twelve inches also makes it a nearly uninhabitable yet perfect location for harvesting continuous solar energy.

3. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park — UAE

The United Arab Emirates, known for its abundant oil reserves, is also home to the third largest solar farm in the world. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park covers an area of 52,881 acres (214 km²) and currently has a capacity of 2.62 GW, with plans to increase this to around 5 GW by 2030.

Although it’s not yet the most powerful, it already powers 270,000 homes and reduces CO2 emissions by about 1.4 million tonnes annually. Despite these achievements, the UAE’s high per capita emissions mean there is still much work to be done.

4. Pavagada Solar Park — India

India’s Pavagada Solar Park, at 13,000 acres (53 km²), ranks fourth. It boasts a capacity of 2.05 GW, contributing significantly to the country’s renewable energy initiatives. The construction cost of this massive facility was around $2 billion, part of India’s broader investment of about $20 billion in renewable energy development through 2024.

5. Benban Solar Park — Egypt

Egypt’s Benban Solar Park is the largest in Africa and the fifth largest worldwide, with a capacity of 1.8 GW. It significantly contributes to powering hundreds of thousands of Egyptian homes and is a pivotal component of Egypt’s Nubian Suns Feed-In Tariff program aimed at boosting investment in renewable energy.

6. Tengger Desert Solar Park — China

Further emphasising China’s commitment to solar energy, the Tengger Desert Solar Park spans 10,626 acres (43 km²) and has a 1.5 GW capacity, sufficient to power around 600,000 homes.

7. Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Project — Abu Dhabi

Although it’s not the most powerful with a 1.2 GW capacity, the Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Project is noteworthy as the largest single-site solar farm worldwide, spanning 1,977 acres (8 km²). It employs an extensive array of robots to maintain its vast number of solar panels in an environmentally friendly manner by not using water.

8. Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base — China

The Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base, soon expected to exceed 3 GW capacity, is currently operational at about 1.1 GW. This site has faced controversy, including allegations of forced labour in its construction, which reflects broader concerns impacting other facilities.

9. Jinchuan Solar Park — China

Located in China’s northern region, the Jinchuan Solar Park enjoys abundant sunshine and a semi-arid climate, making it ideal for solar power generation. It currently has a capacity of 1.03 GW, enough to serve thousands of homes.

10. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park — India

Located in India’s Kurnool district, this 1 GW-capacity solar farm can power nearly the entire region during peak sunlight hours, producing approximately 8 GWh in optimal conditions. The area experiences about 35–40 rainy days per year, making it an excellent location for solar energy production.