Solar Farm

"Large areas of land containing interconnected solar panels, positioned over many acres."

In 2024, solar power generated 6.9% of the global electricity and over 1% of primary energy.

As of 2023, 33 countries generated more than a tenth of their electricity from solar.

Solar city: when a city fulfills its energy demand mainly from solar energy. electricity generation, water supply, lighting, streets with solar lamps, and more.

• Famous for its historic Buddhist sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, Sanchi became India's first solar city in Sept 2023. Sanchi solar city has come up as a result of a 3 MW capacity solar project at Nagori near Sanchi.

• In Gujarat, Modhera is a 24/7 solar-powered village.

World's largest solar power plant

1. Bhadla solar park

   situated in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

   Area—14,000 acres.

   Installed capacity—2,245 MW

   10 million solar panels developed in four phases under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy scheme.

   The Bhadla solar park is developed in India's desert state of Rajasthan, so it harnesses the heat of Rajasthan to produce clean energy.

2. Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park—China

Installed capacity—2,200 M

3. Pavagada Solar Park, India

4. Benban Solar Park, Egypt

5. Tengger Desert Solar Park, China

Technologies in solar:

Electricity production through solar is an ecologically fruitful move. Solar energy generation does not produce greenhouse gases. while using fossil fuels like natural gases and coal

leave many harmful gases in the atmosphere, resulting in massive air pollution across the world.

Two types of energy are being generated: electrical and heat.

Two main types of solar plant:

1. Solar thermal power plants

2. Solar photovoltaic plants

Solar photovoltaic plants:

Photoelectric cells:

'Light is directly converted into electricity through photovoltaic effect.'

Solar cell—primary application is in it.

Solar panel—Numbers of solar cells connected to form a solar panel.

• Process

  • Sunlight strikes the semiconductor material like silicon.

  • Incident light rays stimulate electrons and holes.

  • Electron flow is generated.

  • DC output.

  • PV inverts DC --> AC

Solar thermal power plants:

It's more similar to a conventional power plant.

It does not convert sunlight directly into electricity like solar panels. Instead, it uses mirrors and lenses.

One of the solar thermal power plants is the Noor Complex, located in Morocco.

• Process:

  • Mirrors and lenses focus sunlight onto the receiver.

  • Molten salt or thermal oil is heated at extremely high temperatures.

  • Extremely heated fuel then produces steam through boiling water.

  • The turbine operates and powers the generator to produce electricity.

Purpose of using solar energy:

Solar energy is generated via solar panels.

Solar power plants require significant investment, which includes land, panels , inverters, installation, and grid connection.

Environmental benefits:

• Renewable energy source: The sun is a continuous and infinite source for energy generation, as solar energy is replenished naturally.

• Decline Fossil fuel dependency: Using solar energy reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Achieving energy independence.

• sustainability

• Long life span of 25 to 30 years.

• Low maintenance cost, as they have no moving parts.

• Revenue generation.

• Economic growth.

• Lower electricity bills.