World’s Biggest Solar Farm Coming to Greece?
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Greece’s largest electrical utility is on the lookout for a partner to help it the world’s largest photovoltaic (PV) solar farm / solar park. The solar photovoltaic farm Public Power Corporation (PPC) wants to build would have a capacity of 200 MW and would be located in the Lignite Center of West Macedonia in the area of Kozani. In addition to building the solar farm, PPC wants its partner to help it build and operate a factory nearby to build the solar panels for the site.
“The estimated amount of the investment is approximately € 600 mln., whereas the generated energy will be 260,000 MWh per annum, achieving a reduction of 300,000 tons in the CO2 emissions,” PPC reports. The project is also expected to create approximately 200 permanent and 350 temporary jobs
“This is a great step toward the fulfillment of a viable energy policy for our country as well as a new growth prospect for the local community,” Arthouros Zervos, PPC’s chief executive officer, says.
PPC’s partner is supposed to be chosen this summer and construction is supposed to start at the end of the year.
Largest Solar Parks in the World, Now and in the Future
Currently, the largest solar PV farm in the world is the 80-MW Sarnia PV Power Plant in Canada. However, even being more than twice the size of that plant, the Greek power plant probably won’t be the largest in the world for long (if it is built fast enough to claim the title at all). India has plans to build a 500-MW solar park, China has plans to build a 2,000-MW solar power park, and South Africa is planning a 5,000-MW solar park.
If you look at the list of the world’s largest solar parks, they’ve all been built just within the last couple of years. It’s clear that solar power is growing fast and world records could continue to be set several times a year. Though, some of these upcoming parks look like they could stay on top for awhile — they are on a whole new level. Will have to wait and see.
Related Story: U.S. Poised for Wind and Solar Power Boom
Photo Credits: Nick-K (Nikos Koutoulas)
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