The World’s Largest Solar Power Plant and Cemetery Panels in Valencia

The world’s largest solar power plant has been opened in China’s Xinjiang region. The 5GW complex spans over 80,000 hectares, equivalent to the size of New York City, and has the capacity to meet the electricity needs of a country like Luxembourg or Papua New Guinea. According to a 2023 study by LONGi Green Energy Technology, the installation of solar panels on roofs and buildings in China will soon generate enough electricity to power every household in China and Southeast Asia.

Valencia, a city leading in green energy, is taking a unique approach by implementing the Requiem in Power (RIP) project, which will be Spain’s largest urban solar farm. The project involves installing around 7,000 solar panels on cemeteries and other structures, with an expected electricity generation of approximately 2.8 MW. When fully operational, the RIP project aims to reduce up to 140 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, contributing to Valencia’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030.

According to DNV, due to high temperatures and relatively sunny skies in May this year, solar radiation intensity in Finland and Sweden was up to 30% higher than usual, leading to an unusually higher total irradiance than in the more southern UK and France. Poland, the Baltic states, and neighboring countries also experienced irradiance up to 30% above the long-term average, resulting in benefits for solar electricity producers.