Global Solar Power Plants

There are currenly 10,550 Solar power plants across the globe with a total capacity of 186242.0 MW.

How much electricity is generated from solar farms each year?

According to the latest data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global electricity generation from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, which include solar farms, was approximately 770 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2020. This represents an increase of 23% compared to 2019 and is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 70 million average households in the United States.

What country is the largest producer of solar power?

China is the largest producer of solar power in the world, both in terms of solar panel production and installed solar capacity.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China accounted for more than 40% of global solar panel production in 2020, and it has consistently ranked as the world's largest producer of solar panels for several years. China also had the largest installed solar capacity of any country in 2020, with a total of 253 gigawatts (GW), or more than 40% of the global total. Other countries with significant installed solar capacity include the United States, Japan, Germany, and India.

What materials are used to make solar panels?

Most solar panels are made using silicon, which is a common and widely available material. Silicon is a semiconductor, which means that it can conduct electricity under certain conditions. To make a solar panel, thin wafers of silicon are cut from a large ingot of the material and then coated with a layer of phosphorus to create a negative charge. Another layer of boron is added to create a positive charge. When sunlight strikes the panel, it knocks electrons free in the silicon, creating a flow of electricity.

In addition to silicon, some solar panels are also made using thin-film materials such as cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), or amorphous silicon. Thin-film panels are less efficient than traditional silicon panels, but they can be less expensive to produce and can be more flexible, making them easier to install in certain applications.

Other materials used in the construction of solar panels include aluminum for the frame, glass for the protective cover, and various metals and chemicals for the electrical contacts and wiring.

Data Information

This data is a derivitive set of data gathered by source mentioned below.

Data Sources

Global Energy Observatory/Google/KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm/Enipedia/World Resources Institute/database.earth