Largest Solar Power Farm in the World

China has recently completed the construction of a new solar power plant in Xinjiang, with a total capacity of 6.09 billion kWh. This plant is capable of providing enough electricity for a country like Papua New Guinea for an entire year. The facility covers an area of 80,937 hectares and is operated by China Electric Power Construction Corporation. It began operations on June 3 and is located in the desert near Xinjiang’s capital Ürümqi.

Xinjiang, located in northwest China, is known for being rich in wind and solar power resources. This makes it an ideal region for large-scale renewable energy facilities. Despite being sparsely populated, the region serves as a crossroads between Central Asia and East Asia, bordering countries such as Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The electricity generated in Xinjiang is often transmitted over long distances to the densely populated eastern coastal region of China.

Ürümqi, with a population of around 4 million in 2020, is the second largest city in northwest China after Xi’an. It is also the largest city in Central Asia in terms of population. Over the years, Ürümqi has developed into an important transport, cultural, political, and commercial center in the region. The new solar power plant is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen China’s position in solar power production.

The completion of the new solar power plant in Xinjiang adds to China’s growing solar energy capacity, which increased by 55.2% by 2023 according to data from China’s National Energy Administration. Prior to this, the two largest solar power plants in the country were Longyuan Power Group’s Ningxia Tenggeli desert solar power project and China Lüfa Qinghai New Energy’s Golmud Wutumeiren solar power complex, both with a capacity of 3 GW. The new facility in Xinjiang highlights China’s commitment to expanding renewable energy sources and reducing its carbon footprint.