Moura Worlds Largest PV Solar Plant

Construction begun on 62MW world leading PV solar power installation

Construction work has been started on the Ł170 million Girassol solar panel plant factory which will provide panels for what will be the largest PV Solar Power (1) generation plant in the world at 62MW. Becoming operational in December 2007, the factory in Moura, Southern Portugal, will turn out 24MW of solar panels annually and is being constructed by BP Solar.

For the first few years the manufactured solar panels are destined to be used on the site to generate power - almost 190,000 panels (32MW) will be in fixed positions, and a further 52,000 panels (10MW) will be fitted to trackers which follow the sun across the sky. A further 20MW of power capacity will be added during phase two of the project bringing the total installed capacity up to 62MW. A total of 350,000 solar panels will be used covering an area equivalent to 150 football pitches (112 hectares). Enough power will be generated to prove electricity for over 20,000 homes.

When complete, this PV solar installation will be over 6 times larger than the current world's largest operational solar plant (2) located in Pocking Germany. Power generation is likely to commence in 2009.

Web Link References

(1) http://www.reuk.co.uk/How-Do-PV-Solar-Panels-Work.htm
(2) http://www.reuk.co.uk/Worlds-Largest-Solar-Power-Plant.htm

Article from REUK.co.uk:
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Moura-Worlds-Largest-PV-Solar-Plant.htm
Published: 12th January 2007
Š REUK 2009