In the United States, twenty-one states (plus Washington DC) have passed legislation regulation community solar. According to RESDM, which has a neat interactive site, there are 1,127 solar farms in the United States. These vary in size (acreage), location, and output. And the dispersal of these sites differs from region to region. The small state of Hawaii alone has nine community-solar sites. But the majority of sites is found in the Northeast, with the State of Massachusetts boasting more than two hundred alone. Below is a look at some interesting facts about America’s solar farms, including a list of the country’s ten largest in comparison with the world’s ten largest. How do they compare?
The Ten Largest Solar Farms
While the majority of America’s solar farms are located in the Northeast (more than six hundred), seven of the country’s ten largest solar farms a located in California. The largest is California’s Solar Star. When Solar Star was completed in 2015, it was the largest solar farm in the world at the time. Located in Kern and Los Angeles Counties, it boasts 1.7 million solar panels spread out over thirteen square kilometers. Solar Star generates 579 MW, which is enough to power more than a quarter million homes. The other top ten sites are:
- Topaz Solar Farm, Carrizo Plain of San Luis Obispo County, California (580 MW; 180,000 households)
- Ivanpah Solar, Clark Mountain, California (392 MW; 140,000 households)
- Agua Caliente Solar Project, Arizona (290 MW; 230,000 households)
- The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nevada (110 MW; 75,000 households)
- Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, California (550 MW; 160,000 households)
- Copper Mountain Solar Facility, Nevada (552 MW; 14,000 households)
- California Valley Solar Ranch, California (292 MW; 100,000 households)
- Antelope Valley Solar Ranch, California (230 MW; 75,000 households)
- Mount Signal Solar Project, California (594 MW; 72,000 households)
Largest Solar Sites Globally
The US ranks third globally, behind China and the European Union, in solar production. The largest US solar sites are all located in the western United States. As large as their capacities seem, they pale in comparison to the world’s largest solar farms, located primarily in China and India. Here are the top ten solar farms in the world:
- Bhadla Solar Park, India (2,245 MW)
- Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park, China (2,200 MW)
- Pavagada Solar Park, India (2,050 MW)
- Benban Solar Park, Egypt (1,650 MW)
- Tengger Desert Solar Park, China (1,547 MW)
- Noor Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (1,177 MW)
- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, United Arab Emirates (1,013 MW)
- Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park, India (1,000 MW)
- Datong Solar Power Top Runner Base, China (1,000 MW)
- NP Kunta, India (978 MW)
Of America’s 1,127 community solar sites, the country’s largest produces about half the energy of the world’s largest community solar sites. The US’s capacity stems from its high number of comparatively smaller solar farms. With solar legislation largely at the state level, these sites serve local communities.
