A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant, is a large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power system designed for the supply of merchant power. They are different from most building-mounted and other decentralized solar power because they supply power at the utility level, rather than to a local user or users. Utility-scale solar is sometimes used to describe this type of project.
The 40.5 MW Jännersdorf Solar Park in Prignitz, Germany
Serpa Solar Park built in Portugal in 2006
Solar arrays on a full landfill in Rehoboth, MA
Bellpuig Solar Park near Lerida, Spain uses pole-mounted 2-axis trackers
Concentrated solar power systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight into a receiver. Electricity is generated when the concentrated light is converted to heat, which drives a heat engine connected to an electrical power generator or powers a thermochemical reaction.
A solar power tower at Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project concentrating light via 10,000 mirrored heliostats spanning thirteen million sq ft (1.21 km2).
The three towers of the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility
Part of the 354 MW SEGS solar complex in northern San Bernardino County, California
Bird's eye view of Khi Solar One, South Africa