Solar energy is often criticized for its disadvantages compared to traditional species such as coal, oil and gas. But there is no doubt that many countries with the largest economies are actively developing this direction.
If the current growth rate of the sector continues, by 2020 about 10% of the world's electricity could be generated from photovoltaic systems. The main growth is expected in China, Japan, Germany and the USA.
Most of this electricity is generated by large-scale ground-based installations, or solar farms, which are thousands of photovoltaic panels spread over several miles of desert terrain. Apparently, they symbolize the future. alternative energy.
It is these systems that make it possible to generate electricity from the energy of the sun in industrial scale... They even look more like solar cities than solar farms.
1. Sambhar Lake, India
- Company: A consortium of 6 state-owned companies including Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Power Grid Corp of India, Hindustan Salts
- Power: 4000 MW
New solar power plant in India, which will be built 70 km from Jaipur, will have 8 times more capacity than the largest US solar farms.
The project is estimated at $ 4 billion and will symbolize the potential of solar energy in India. However, it is now suspended due to conflicts over land use between the state government and the federal government.
2. Topaz, California, USA
- Company: MidAmerican Solar
- Power: 580 MW
The construction of the facility took 2 years and $ 2.5 billion. The last stage was completed in December last year.
Total number solar panels located on an area of 9.5 sq. miles, exceeds 9 million.
The capacity is sufficient to provide access to electricity in most of the city of San Luis Obispo, which has a population of 276,000.
3. Solar Star, California
- Company: MidAmerican Solar, SunPower Corp.
- Power: 579 MW
Construction of this power plant began in 2013 and is due to be completed this year.
After completion, the number of panels will be 1.7 million, but the power plant already provides a capacity of more than 170 MW.
4. Ivanpah, California
- Company: NRG Energy, BrightSource Energy, Google
- Power: 392 MW.
The power plant was opened almost two years ago. It is located on 5 sq. miles in the Mojave Desert, near the Nevada border.
The total number of panels reaches 300 thousand, and the facility's capacity is sufficient to provide electricity to 140 thousand houses.
Nevertheless, the project has been criticized more than once for the fact that during its creation the habitual habitat of many animals was destroyed, and birds flying too close to it very often die.
5. Agua Caliente, Arizona
- Company: NRG Energy, MidAmerican Solar
- Power: 290 MW
Agua Caliente was launched in April last year and at that time claimed the title of the world's largest solar farm.
The capacity is sufficient to power 230,000 homes in the region.
The solar farm was built with a nearly $ 1 billion US Department of Energy guarantee loan, along with capital from NRG Energy and MidAmerican Solar - Energy Fund, which is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.
6. Setouchi, Japan
- Company: GE, Cooney Umi Asset Management, Toyo Engineering Corp.
- Power: 231 MW
A huge solar farm in Okayama Prefecture began construction last November. The project cost is estimated at $ 1.1 billion.
The consortium received $ 867 million in loans from Japanese banks, the largest in Japanese history for green energy projects.
Once completed, the facility, located on the site of the salt lake, will sell electricity to the Chugoku Electric Power Company under a 20-year contract.
7. Nzema Solar Park, Ghana
- Company: Mere Power Nzema Limited (MPNL)
- Power: 155 MW
Currently under construction. It will contain 630 thousand solar panels, which makes Nzema Solar Park the sixth in the world in terms of this indicator.
It is noteworthy that electricity will be supplied not only to Ghana, but also to Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
8. Redstone Solar Thermal Power Plant, South Africa
- Company: SolarReserve, International Company for Water and Power Projects (ACWA Power)
- Power: 100 MW
In January 2015, the South African Department of Energy gave SolarReserve and the Saudi Arabian company AQUA Power privileged bidding status for a 100 MW solar power project.
The volume will be located close to the Jasper PV project, which is now the largest in the country.
Redstone will supply power to 200,000 homes during peak periods, helping other suppliers.
9. Amanecer Solar CAP Plant, Chile
- Company: SunEdison
- Power: 100 MW
The power plant is located in the center of the Atacama Desert and has an installed capacity of 100 MW, making it the largest solar power plant in Latin America... The station was opened in June last year.
The volume of investments in the installation of 310 thousand solar panels reached $ 250 million.
The capacity should be sufficient to supply 125,000 Chilean households.
10. Jasper PV Project, South Africa
- Company: SolarReserve
- Power: 96 MW
The Jasper project produces about 180 megawatt hours a year, enough to power 80,000 homes.
The project was completed in October last year.
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station is located in the Mojave Desert, 3 hours east of Los Angeles. Its construction took about three years, cost 2 billion 200 million dollars, and finally, in the spring of 2014, it was commissioned. The station generates absolutely clean energy, without the need to burn any fuel.
The $ 2.2 billion project was implemented by the American company NRG Energy with the support of the US Department of Energy. 350 thousand giant mirrors located on a 13 sq. kilometers, reflect sunlight, heating water and turning it into steam, which, in turn, turns a turbine that generates electricity. new station will significantly reduce emissions carbon dioxide: as if 72 thousand cars were removed from the roads of California. In such "sunny" states as Arizona, Nevada, California and others, 17 plots have already been allocated for the construction of similar solar power plants.
At the same time, projects are being implemented more slowly than planned, encountering, oddly enough, protests from the "green". The fact is that although in the long term such stations are beneficial to the environment, in fact, the construction of the stations itself pollutes the areas allocated for them, depriving turtles and other representatives of the desert fauna of their usual habitats. Nevertheless, the United States plans to become a world leader in the use of ecologically clean energy. Now it occupies no more than 1% of the total volume of the energy market in the country, but by 2020, according to the adopted state program, one third of the volume of all produced energy must be transferred to renewable sources.
This station is the largest in the world, with an area of 14.24 square kilometers (5.5 square miles). This object is called - Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. This station belongs to the type of thermal solar power plants.
This plant is capable of producing about 30% of all "thermal energy" produced in the United States. The facility has 3 towers 140 meters high surrounded by 300,000 garage door-sized mirrors. All of these mirrors focus the sun's rays on a collector located at the top of the tower. In the upper part of the tower there is also a water reservoir, where all thermal energy collected by mirrors.
Each tower has its own control center, plus there is also common center management, from where the operation of the entire system is controlled. At the same time, according to the company that created the station, there is no storage for molten coolant salt in the system, as in the case of smaller projects such as Crescent Dunes.
It is worth noting that each of the mirrors can change the tilt angle and tilt direction by command from the center. The mirrors are washed once every two weeks. As far as can be understood, used special system mirror washers + dedicated team of washers cleaning mirrors at night. To control all mirrors, a proprietary SFINCS (Solar Field Integrated Control System) system was created. 
The whole system consists of 22 million individual parts(rivets, bolts, etc. do not count).
The total cost of the project was US $ 2.2 billion, of which US $ 1.4 is a federal loan.
At the same time, water vapor is generated in the system, which is directed to the blades of turbines, which produce energy, which is quite enough for the needs of 140 thousand California households.
True, there were some problems. For example, the focused rays of the sun burn birds flying over the station. This fact is the reason for the protests of the US environmental organizations. But, despite all the protests, the project was completed and launched. 
86 employees are employed at the station. The estimated period of operation is 30 years, during which the station will provide electricity to 140 thousand houses from the cities of the district. 
This report is available in high definition.
In California, in the Mojave Desert, the world's largest solar power plant "Ivanpa" with an area of almost 13 square kilometers was launched. The $ 2.2 billion facility consists of three power plants and nearly 350,000 heliostat mirrors.
We leave for California to get to know more about this miracle of technology.
The world's largest solar power plant "Ivanpa" is located 64 kilometers from Las Vegas. As mentioned, it consists of 350,000 heliostat mirrors (each the size of a garage door).
A heliostat is a device capable of rotating a mirror so as to direct the sun's rays constantly in one direction, despite the apparent diurnal movement of the Sun. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
3 heliostat fields surround the 40-storey power plant towers. Mirrors focus sunlight on the cauldrons atop the towers (see title photo). Steam is generated which drives the turbines. This is how it appears Electric Energy which is enough to power 140,000 buildings in California.
The world's largest solar power plant has an output of nearly 392 MW. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Heliostats at the Ivanpah solar power plant, 20 February 2014 (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
As you can see, the heliostat consists of two mirrors and a control mechanism. The number of such heliostats here is 173,500. Accordingly, there are 2 times more mirrors. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Cooling systems are located at the bottom of each of the three power plants. Above is a steam boiler. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Control room. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
A graphical control system for the world's largest solar power station Ivanpah. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Cars on the road for realizing the scale. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Two of the three power plants. It can be seen how steam is generated in boilers from solar energy focused by heliostats. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
(Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
This is how the solar energy receiver tower with boilers inside glows. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
(Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
Aerial view of one of the mirrored fields with a power plant in the middle. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
As already mentioned, all here are 3 fields with heliostats. (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images):
The construction of the Ivanpa solar power plant is part of a government program that seeks the United States to convert a third of its energy production to renewable sources by 2020.
It was an excursion to the world's largest solar power plant Ivanpah in California. Also see the articles "", "" and "". (Photo by Ethan Miller | Getty Images).
The powerful power of solar energy was known to man thousands of years ago. Since ancient times, man has tried to curb, tame this energy, make it serve him. In the sixth century, Anthimius of Trallius wrote a treatise on mirrors. In this treatise, he mentioned how the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes, with the help of numerous mirrors and concave shields-defenders of Syracuse, burned the Roman fleet, focusing the rays of the sun on the ships. Whether this was a legend or not is unknown.
But the experiments, which should have confirmed or refuted the possibility of this event, were carried out repeatedly. By different people, v different countries and in different time... And each time these experiments ended with confirmation of the real possibility of this episode in the defense of Syracuse.
Until the advent of new technologies, new materials in the twentieth century, until the opportunity practical application Voltaic solar energy was used only and exclusively for heating small volumes of water. With the discovery of the photoelectric effect, the advent of materials capable of converting sunlight into electric current on an industrial scale, solar energy entered a new phase of its development.
New reflective and light-absorbing materials, heat-resistant composite elements made it possible to create such structures that made it possible to use the energy of the sun for thermal power plants, thermal installations that provide hot water and heating the house.
Solar energy is a renewable energy source. It is more and more widely used by man and finds its application in the most different areas... Renewable because the sun is an inexhaustible source of energy.
And if you consider that solar plants that generate electricity or heat guarantee complete safety environment and prices for traditional energy resources are constantly growing, it becomes obvious that solar energy will have a rapid development in the very near future.
The prospects for solar energy are ambitious. Projects for new solar complexes are ambitious, and their implementation can radically change our attitude towards traditional energy sources. It would certainly be naive to believe that solar energy is a panacea for humanity, which is constantly suffering from energy shortages.
The capacities of solar power plants are constantly increasing, but, nevertheless, the share of electricity that they generate is only 0.8% of the total amount of electricity generated by all generating plants in the world.
Dependence weather conditions, from time of day limits the use of solar power plants as permanent energy sources. Without storage devices, they can be fully used only as additional sources that take on the load in daytime days, and thereby unloading the main producers of electricity.
The periods of electricity production often do not coincide with the periods of demand, since the peak of consumption occurs mainly in the evening hours. And in high latitudes, solar power plants are simply unprofitable. However, these disadvantages of helium power plants are not so critical for solar heat generating plants, since these plants are quite inertial systems, especially if they have implemented a carefully thought out thermal insulation system.
The largest solar power plants in the world
Almost all powerful helium electrical installations are built in low latitudes, where there is a lot of sun, where most days of the year are cloudless, where there are vast free areas for placing solar panels or mirrors.
The most powerful solar power plant complex was commissioned in 2012 in the Indian state of Gujarat. The total capacity of forty-six solar parks united into a single power system is 856.51 megawatts. With the launch of this complex to its design capacity, India can receive from alternative energy systems up to 15% of the total amount of electricity generated in the country.
SES complex in India. Gujarat State
At the end of 2015, the STAR solar power plant was commissioned in southern California (USA), in the Antelope Valley. It took nearly four million solar panels to build this station.
To ensure the maximum possible use of the energy of the sun, about a fifth - just over 750 thousand panels - were mounted on movable chassis connected to a solar tracking system. This ensured the reception maximum number solar radiation throughout the day.
After reaching the design mode of operation, this power plant provided an output power of about 580 megawatts. This capacity is sufficient to provide electricity to residents of the city with a population of up to 75 thousand. If such an amount of electricity were generated by a conventional thermal power plant, then the harmful emissions into the atmosphere from it would be equivalent to those obtained as a result of the operation of 30 thousand cars.
Solar power plant STAR. California, USA
In California, several more solar plants were built, which use the principle of direct conversion of light energy into electrical energy. This is, first of all, the Topaz helium power plant, the third largest in the world. It has an output of 550 megawatts and is part of a solar cascade that is expected to provide up to 33% of California's power consumption by 2020. Electricity at this station is produced by 9 million thin-film panels made on the basis of cadmium telluride.
Solar power station Topaz. California, USA
In addition to these power plants producing electricity by direct conversion sunlight In California, there are several thermal-type solar power plants, which are among the ten most powerful solar plants in the world. This is primarily the Ivanpah solar tower-type power plant, which was commissioned in 2013.
This station has an output power of almost 400 megawatts. Heating of boilers to a temperature of almost 700 degrees is provided by 173,500 heliostats, each of which consists of two mirrors. Heliostats ensure that the sun's rays are constantly focused on the working boiler. This solar power plant ranks fifth in the list of the most powerful solar power plants.
Solar power plant Ivanpah. California, USA
Solar power plants in Russia
In Russia, solar energy is not as widespread as in Europe, the USA, India, and China. The total capacity of Russian power plants operating on solar energy does not exceed the capacity of one California one. Nevertheless, the development of solar energy in Russia is now being given great attention... This is especially true for the Crimea and Siberia.
Two of the most powerful solar power plants are currently operating in Crimea. The Perovo solar power plant has an output capacity of about 100 megawatts, the other solar power plant, Okhotnikovo, is 20 megawatts less. In addition, in August 2015, a solar power plant with a capacity of 70 megawatts was put into trial operation in the village of Nikolaevka. A solar power plant with a capacity of 110 megawatts has been built in the village of Vladislavovka.
In 2014, the Kosh-Agach solar power plant with a capacity of five megawatts was launched in Altai. Electric current of this power is generated by 20880 solar panels.
Kosh-Agach SES. Altai, Russia
In 2015, a one megawatt solar power plant was commissioned in Yakutia. In the Stavropol Territory, in the village of Staromaryevka, it is planned to commission a solar power plant with a capacity of 75 megawatts in 2019, and in Siberia, from the Arctic to the borders with Kazakhstan, the XEVEL company plans to build several solar power plants with a total capacity of more than 250 megawatts.
Solar heating
Thermal type helium power plants, except electric current, generate such an amount of thermal energy that can provide hot water and heat to large industrial premises, sports facilities, residential buildings.
The heat carrier, heated to 150 - 200 degrees, enters the heat exchangers, where it heats the water entering the houses for heating and hot water supply. Therefore, all thermal-type SPPs are built in such a way that surplus heat energy is transferred to the heating plant, and from there it is already hot water served as intended.
This significantly reduces the consumption of traditional fossil energy sources. For example, in Denmark, the design and construction of thermal solar power plants is now underway at an accelerated pace, which will not only provide environmentally friendly electricity generation, but will also supply heat and hot water to residents of adjacent settlements.
The use of solar energy in everyday life
At the everyday level, the possibilities of using the energy of the Sun depend only on human imagination. And of course, to a certain extent, from material possibilities. Here we can talk about anything: about the power supply of the house, lighting of streets and parks, about traffic lights, about street illumination, about decorating a summer house, lighting fountains, garlands on trees, supplying hot water and warmth to a country house, a cottage.
Various companies produce and install "turnkey" solar installations for individual use. It can be a mini-power plant on solar powered, and helium concentrators for heating and hot water supply, and maybe a combined installation.
The spectrum of the use of the sun's energy is enormous. This energy works in everything from giant power plants to portable chargers that fit freely in your pocket or purse. And its main advantages are inexhaustibility and safety for the environment.
Last week in the California Mojave Desert, a huge solar power plant was officially launched, which is mesmerizing with its beauty. The design capacity of the power plant is 400 megawatts, which, according to experts, will be enough for 140 thousand homes in California. Let's find out more about it.
Experts emphasize that the new station will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions: as if 72 thousand cars were removed from the roads of California. In such "sunny" states as Arizona, Nevada, California and others, 17 plots have already been allocated for the construction of similar solar power plants.
At the same time, projects are being implemented more slowly than planned, encountering, oddly enough, protests from the "green". The fact is that, although in the long term such stations are beneficial to the environment, in fact, the construction of the stations itself pollutes the areas allocated for them, depriving turtles and other representatives of the desert fauna of their usual habitats.
However, the United States plans to become the world leader in the use of clean energy. Now it occupies no more than 1% of the total energy market in the country, however, by 2020, according to the adopted state program, one third of all produced energy should be transferred to renewable sources.
This station is the largest in the world, with an area of 14.24 square kilometers (5.5 square miles). This object is called - Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. This station belongs to the type of thermal solar power plants.
This plant is capable of producing about 30% of all "thermal energy" produced in the United States. The facility has 3 towers 140 meters high surrounded by 300,000 garage door-sized mirrors. All of these mirrors focus the sun's rays on a collector located at the top of the tower. In the upper part of the tower there is also a water reservoir, where all the heat energy collected by the mirrors is directed.
Each tower has its own control center, plus there is a common control center, from where the operation of the entire system is controlled. At the same time, according to the company that created the station, there is no storage for molten coolant salt in the system, as in the case of smaller projects such as Crescent Dunes.
It is worth noting that each of the mirrors can change the tilt angle and tilt direction by command from the center. The mirrors are washed once every two weeks. As far as can be understood, a special mirror washer system is used + a special team of washers cleaning the mirrors at night. To control all mirrors, a proprietary SFINCS (Solar Field Integrated Control System) system was created.
The entire system consists of 22 million individual parts (rivets, bolts, etc. do not count).
The total cost of the project was US $ 2.2 billion, of which US $ 1.4 is a federal loan.
At the same time, water vapor is generated in the system, which is directed to the blades of turbines, which produce energy, which is quite enough for the needs of 140 thousand California households.
True, there were some problems. For example, the focused rays of the sun burn birds flying over the station. This fact is the reason for the protests of the US environmental organizations. But, despite all the protests, the project was completed and launched.
Finally, there is still room for improvement in the design. BrightSource Energy engineers are already proposing to eliminate water boilers and use special saline solutions, which further increase the efficiency of the system while maintaining its environmental and energy qualities.
86 employees are employed at the station. The estimated period of operation is 30 years, during which the station will provide electricity to 140 thousand houses from the cities of the district.
