100 Solar Megawatts
When the 10-megawatt Bavaria Solarpark began operations at three German sites in 2004–with 62 acres of silicon panels able to power several thousand homes on sunny days–it was one of the largest photovoltaic plants in the world. Now, bolstered by high energy prices and government incentives, a new crop of photovoltaic power plants–including one that might produce 10 times as much electricity (see table below)–are planned around the world. The market for solar cells is doubling every 18 to 24 months, says Michael Rogol, a solar-industry consultant. While thin-film solar technology is lighter–good for rooftop applications where weight is an issue–larger solar-power installations tend to use silicon-based technologies, which require less acreage and wiring for a given electrical output.
Organization
Size/date
Location
Zhonghao New Energy
Investment (Beijing, China)
Up to 100 megawatts by 2011
Dunhuang City, China
Acciona (Madrid, Spain)
62 megawatts by 2010
Moura, Portugal
SunEdison (Baltimore, MD) and SkyPower (Toronto, Ontario)
Up to 50 megawatts by
the end of 2009
Three to five 10-megawatt
sites in Ontario
Keep Reading
Most Popular
The hype around DeepMind’s new AI model misses what’s actually cool about it
Some worry that the chatter about these tools is doing the whole field a disservice.
The walls are closing in on Clearview AI
The controversial face recognition company was just fined $10 million for scraping UK faces from the web. That might not be the end of it.
A quick guide to the most important AI law you’ve never heard of
The European Union is planning new legislation aimed at curbing the worst harms associated with artificial intelligence.
These materials were meant to revolutionize the solar industry. Why hasn’t it happened?
Perovskites are promising, but real-world conditions have held them back.
Stay connected
Illustration by Rose WongGet the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.