Top 7 Largest Solar Farms In USA Powering the Nation In 2024

We will see information on solar farms used to harness solar energy, including the largest solar farms in the USA, and complete information about them.

Like many countries worldwide, large solar farms have been created in the US to generate electric energy using solar energy.

And if you want to know more about the largest solar farms in the USA or any information about it in your school-college, read my article correctly.

Let me tell you a very interesting fact. 🙂 

Of all the states in the entire USA, California is the only one that has revolutionized the US industry.

So, let’s look at the list of the list here…

Largest Solar Farms in the USA – Top 7 List Details 🌞

Solar panels are being used extensively in the world to generate electricity. In which the USA is embracing such renewable energy sources.

This is because the USA is trying to generate large amounts of electricity by building solar farms using solar energy to reduce fossil fuel consumption and reduce carbon footprint.

The world’s largest economy has built some of the world’s largest, most beautiful, and high-yielding solar farms. The following are the 7 most giant solar farms in the United States.

1. Solar Star, Kern & Los Angeles Counties, California

Solar Star is the largest solar farm in the USA that was completed and operated in June 2015. Until 2017, the Solar Star project was the world’s largest solar field in the US.

This is a kind of power project with a photovoltaic solar power facility.

Solar Star Farm Location and Site Details

Solar Star Farm is in Kern and Los Angeles Counties, Antelope Valley, in southern California. It is spread over 13 square kilometers and contains 1.7 million solar panels.

This place has been chosen due to the high quality of solar resources and very low rainfall.

It is approximately as big as 142 football fields, four times larger than Central Park.

Capacity Of Solar Star Project

The Solar Star Plant has been set up in two sections: Solar Star 1 and Solar Star 2.

Solar Star 1 has a capacity of 314 MW, and Solar Star 2 has a capacity of 265 MW. In total, both generate a total of 579 MW of solar energy. That’s enough electricity to power about 255,000 homes.

So, It ranks first among the largest solar farms in the USA.

According to NS Energy, The Star project uses approximately 1.72 million PV solar models mounted on a single-axis track to follow the sun’s movement for solar power generation.

Solar Star completed its fifth year in June 2020 and is still the largest solar farm in the country in terms of electricity generated by the Solar Star project.

Other solar farms near solar do not have the same efficiency per area depending on their field and technological prowess.

2. Topaz Solar Farm, San Luis Obispo County, California

Construction of Topaz Solar Farm started in November 2011 and completed all construction and installation process in February 2015.

Topaz Solar Farm Location

Topaz Solar Farm is located on the Carrizo Plain of San Luis Obispo County, California. It is located in the northwestern part of the Carrizo Plain.

Topaz Solar Farm Capacity

The capacity of Topaz Solar Farm is 500 MW, and when this Topaz Solar farm operates at its full capacity, it will be able to deliver electrical energy to about 180,000 homes.

Topaz Solar Farm Details Information And Size

In the US, Topaz Solar Farm is the second-largest solar farm in the USA in terms of area, spread over an area of more than 15 square kilometers, and provides electricity to about 160,000 households.

It can be seen that the land on which Topaz Solar Farm is built is not preferable for agriculture.

Because this land was formerly agricultural, productivity has been limited, and low production capacity has been reduced to land after the desertification process.

Solar panels in the Topaz Solar farm are mounted together and supported by steel columns. The structure is about five feet above the ground.

It is very important for the local California economy. It provided about 200 construction jobs in three years, and the combined value in the local economy was more than 190 million.

Thus, Topaz Solar Farm is one of the largest solar farms in the USA.

3. Ivanpah Solar Farm, Clark Mountain in California

The Ivanpah Solar Farm in California is in the Mojave Desert solar thermal plant.

The Ivanpah project was started by a startup company called Bright Source Energy. The California Energy Commission approved the company in October 2010.

Ivanpah Solar Farm Location

Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) is in the state of California in the United States. It is located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.

Ivanpah Solar Farm Capacity

It consists of three different types of units consisting of three towers with a height of 450 feet.

The 450-foot-high tower in the plant generates 392 MW of solar power, of which one tower generates 126 MW and the other two towers generate 133 MW each.

Did you know?

This is the largest solar thermal project in the world. The electrical energy generated by these three plants provides electricity to more than 140,000 homes during the hottest hours of the day.

And in addition…

The Ivanpah Solar Thermal Project helps stop emitting more than four million carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Ivanpah Solar Farm Details

The first unit of this solar thermal plant was connected to the live electrical grid in September 2013 for the synchronized preliminary examination of the project.

Then, on February 13, 2014, the Ivanpah Solar Thermal Power Plant was officially opened. It became the world’s largest solar thermal power plant that same year.

More than 3 lakh mirrors are installed in this solar thermal power plant, which receives about 300 to 350 days of sunshine annually.

Ivanpah is one of the largest solar farms in the USA because it is a solar thermal power plant.

With a total capacity of 392 MW, it has 173,500 heliostats installed. Each of the two mirrors focuses the reflected solar energy on the boiler placed on the centralized solar power tower.

Electricity from Units 1 and 3 at the Ivanpah Solar Plant is being sold to Pacific Gas and Electric, as well as electricity from Units 2 to Southern California Edison.

Although many have criticized the Ivanpah Solar Power Project, they believe animal habitat threatens the plant and the frying birds approaching the hot tower.

4. Agua Caliente Solar Project, Arizona

The Agua Caliente Power Plant is one of the first photovoltaic plants of its size to be connected to a 500kv transmission line. Which is one of the largest solar farms in the USA.

The construction of this power project was completed in April 2014.

Agua Caliente Farm Location

Agua Caliente, Solar Power Project, is located in Yuma County, Arizona, and occupies previously sold agricultural land on the White Wings Ranch.

The solar farm is built on distributed agricultural land 65 miles from White Wing Ranch. The selection of this land was based on the availability of solar resources.

The project is located in the desert region of western Arizona because the site was chosen mainly because of the availability of sunlight and minimal transmission infrastructure.

Agua Caliente Farm Capacity

It is a solar plant spread over 2400 acres of land from which 230,000 households can be electrified at peak loads.

The project’s first phase consisted of 39 MW of power and was commissioned online in December 2011, then 100 MW of capacity was completed in April 2021, 200 MW in July 2012, and 247 MW in August 2012.

And lastly, in April 2014, this solar plant continued to operate with a capacity of 290 MW.

Agua Caliente claimed the title of the world’s largest solar when it was fully operational, except that it was named ‘Project of the Year’ by the Renewable Energy Awards in February 2012.

Agua Caliente Farm Details

This solar farm will reduce carbon dioxide emissions generated by electricity by 5.5 million metric tons annually.

The plant combines approximately five million fixed-tilt-angle PV panels no more than six feet above the ground to reduce the visual effects. It adjusts them based on the inverter’s rating.

The owners and operators of the Agua Caliente Solar Project are NRG Energy and Mid-American Renewable / First Solar.

Benefits of this Project

• It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 220,000, so about 40,000 cars will go down the road.
• The most negligible environmental impact of any PV technology
• Water is not used to generate electricity
• To generate wages and benefits for up to 500 construction jobs over four years
• This has led to an increase in state and local tax revenues.

5. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nevada

The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Power Project was approved by the United States Department of the Interior in December 2010.

The project started with limited construction activities in August 2011, then officially started with groundbreaking activities in September 2011, and the construction target of the project was met in February 2012.

When the central receiver solar power tower was built in this project, it was about 540 feet high. It is the tallest solar power tower in the world. So it ranks fifth among the largest solar farms in the USA.

Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project Location

The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Power Project is a central solar power type solar farm built near Tonopah in Nye County, Nevada, USA.

The project is located on 1600 acres of public land operated by the US Bureau of Land Management. The solar farm of this project has a working life of 30 years.

Crescent Dunes Farm Capacity

Crescent Dunes Solar Farm, with a capacity of 110 MW when launched in 2011, is the first utility scale-based solar power plant in the United States to have its Integrated energy storage technology.

Crescent Dunes Farm Details

The construction of this project cost a total of one billion dollars.

The Crescent Dunes solar plant generates about 0.5 million megawatts of pollution-free electricity annually, providing electricity to about 75,000 households. So, it’s one of the largest solar farms in the USA.

Tonopah Solar Energy, a subsidiary of the American power generation company Solar Reserve, runs the project.

Investors in the project include ACS Cobra, a Spanish engineering and construction company, and Santander, a Spanish banking company.

6. Desert Sunlight Solar Farm – Desert Center, California

The Desert Light Photovoltaic Solar Farm is the sixth-largest solar farm in the USA.

The Desert Sunlight Solar Farm project was conceived by First Solar Company in 2008 and approved in August 2011. Construction of the solar project began in September 2011 and was finally operational in February 2015.

Solar Farm Owners Energy Resort Energy Financial Services and Corporation of America.

The solar project was completed in 40 months, and construction workers on the site were about 1100. The project was inaugurated in February 2015 by the US Secretary of State.

Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Location

Desert Sunlight Solar Farm is located in Riverside County, California, US.

The Desert Sunlight solar farm is located on land managed by the Federal Bureau of Land Management about six miles north of the Desert Center community.

Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Capacity

The total capacity of Desert Sunlight Solar Farm is 550 MW. Desert Sunlight provides enough electricity to meet the needs of an average of about 160,000 homes in California.

So it can displace about 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually; this is precisely what you would say about 30,000 cars off the road.

The sun shines for at least 300 days in the area, so more than 8 million photovoltaic panels installed at the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm have converted these long rays of the day into electricity by getting free sunlight.

Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Details

Solar Farm, produced by First Solar, a US thin-film manufacturer, contains 8.8 million cadmium tellurides.

The project has also created about 400 construction jobs over 26 months, which provides wages and other benefits to the workers.

The project also raised $15 million in new sales tax revenue in California and an estimated $12 million in new property tax revenue in California.

Benefits of this Project

• It provides adequate electricity to about 160,000 households
• Photovoltaic technology has very little impact on the environment
• Water is not used in power generation
• There has been a slight increase in California sales tax and property tax collection.

7. Copper Mountain Solar Facility – Boulder City, Nevada

Copper Mountain Solar 2 occupies 1,100 acres of the site. It came in two stages. This Project is considered the largest solar farm in the USA.

Construction of the solar farm began in January 2010 and was completed in a single year, and the plant went live in December 2010. The cost of the entire project was estimated at $141 million.

Copper Mountain Solar Facility Location

Copper Mountain Solar Photovoltaic Solar Project is located in Boulder City, Nevada, about 65 kilometers southeast of Las Vegas.

Copper Mountain Solar Facility Capacity

The total power generation capacity of Copper Mountain Solar Farm is 552 MW. So, this project is considered the largest solar farm in the USA.

Sempra Generation plans to increase its existing facility to more than 200 MW. In August 2011, the company announced the expansion of Copper Mountain Solar 2 and Copper Mountain Solar 1.

The 150 MW plant was fully commissioned in 2013, which provided electricity to about 53,000 households due to the renewable energy generated.

Copper Mountain Solar Facility Details

The solar farm started producing electric power in 2010 by installing an 8 MW blog. The project’s main objective was to erect 775,000 solar panels through this project.

The solar farm was officially dedicated in March 2011 by the Governor of Boulder City, the Governor of Nevada, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sempra Generation.

The Copper Mountain Solar Farm facility provides pollution-free electricity to about 15,000 households.

Local, state, and federal governments are expected to receive $135 million in new revenue over the project’s lifetime.

The project is expected to displace 35,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to 6,000 cars off the road.

Read Also: Why Are Solar Panels Good For The Environment? 5 Benefits of Solar Energy?

FAQs

Which is the largest solar farm in the world?

The largest solar power plant in the world is being built in India, Bhadla Solar Park, located in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan state in India.

This place was chosen because of the high temperature of the sun.

The solar power plant was commissioned in March 2020 with a total installed capacity of 2.25 GW and is spread over 14 acres of land.

Who are the top solar companies in the US?

The top solar company in the US is as follows.

1. Ormat Technologies
2. First Solar, Inc.
3. NextEra Energy
4. SolarEdge Technologies
5. Suniva Inc.
6. Global Solar Energy, Inc.
7. Trina Solar
8. Real Goods Solar
9. GreenBrilliance
10. SunPower Corp.

In addition, you can find information about the largest solar farms in the USA above.

How many homes can 1 MW power?

The capacity of most solar power stations is usually measured on a scale of MW. One megawatt is also called one million watts or even 1000 kilowatts.1 MW can provide power to about 650 homes

Conclusion

I am glad to tell you that the information about the largest solar farms in the USA is fully found in my article above.

In addition to this information, we have covered the location of solar farms in the US, their capacity, and additional information about them.

Details of how much electricity is generated in this solar farm are given, except for the state in which it is located in the US and who owns it.