5 Largest PLTS Power Plants in the World: India Reigns Supreme!

Several countries are now racing to promote a greener transition to renewable energy, one way being through the construction of solar power plants (PLTS).

PLTS produces electricity generated from the alternative energy source of sunlight. With this unlimited energy source, the earth will also be spared from air pollution and environmental damage.

According to data from the Indian solar company, Ornate Solar, there are five PLTS companies with the largest electricity production capacity in the world in 2022. The list is as follows:

1. Bhadla Solar Park

Location: Rajasthan, India
Installed Capacity: 2,245 megawatts (MW)

Bhadla Solar Park is the world's largest solar power plant. This power plant facility, located in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India, covers an area of 14,000 hectares (ha).

This solar power plant has a capacity of 2.25 gigawatts (GW) and required an estimated investment of over US$1.3 billion.

Operated since 2017, this solar giant contains more than 10 million solar panels. The facility was developed in four phases under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) scheme. The power plant utilizes the heat from the Rajasthan state in the Indian desert to generate clean renewable energy.

2. Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park

Location: Qinghai Province, China
Installed Capacity: 2,200 MW

Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park is located in Qinghai Province, China. It is the largest solar power facility in China. The PLTS has a production capacity of 2.2 GW.

The facility was built by Huanghe Hydropower Development, a state-owned power generation company, and required an investment of approximately US$2.3 billion. This giant plant offers a storage capacity of 202.8 MW. Developed in five phases, the plant is spread over an area of 564 ha and began operating in 2020.

3. Pavagada Solar Park

Location: Karnataka, India
Installed Capacity: 2,050 MW

Pavagada Solar Park is located in Tumkur district in Karnataka, India. This power plant facility with a production capacity of 2.05 GW covers an area of 13,000 ha.

This PLTS was developed by the Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation (KSPDCL) with an investment value of US$2 billion. Pavagada Solar Park began operating in December 2019.

4. Benban Solar Park

Location: Aswan Governorate, Egypt
Installed Capacity: 1,650 MW

Benban Solar Park, located in Benban village in Aswan Governorate, Egypt, is the largest solar power project in Africa. This PLTS is equipped with 41 solar power plants with a solar power production capacity of 1.6 GW.

The development of this solar power project is overseen by the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and is in line with the 2035 Sustainable Energy Strategy announced by the Egyptian government.

This power plant facility has an area of 9,000 ha and was connected to the Egyptian National Grid in 2019, currently powering more than 420,000 households.

5. Tengger Desert Solar Park

Location: Ningxia, China
Installed Capacity: 1,547 MW

This is the fifth largest solar power plant in the world. This facility has a production capacity of 1,547 MW and covers 1,200 km² of the Tengger Desert.

Tengger Desert Solar Park is also called the Great Wall of Solar Power, where the facility is owned by China National Grid and Zhongwei Power Supply Company. This PLTS began operating in 2017 and now "fuels" more than 600,000 households.