China turns on world’s largest solar farm

The park was built out of over 5.26 million 650W bifacial PV panels.

China Green Development Group (CGDG) has activated the 3.5 GW Midong solar project in Urumqi, located in China's Xinjiang region. This colossal project, which required an investment of CNY 15.45 billion ($2.13 billion), now stands as the world’s largest solar plant.

Prior to the Midong project's commissioning, the title of the world's largest solar park was held by a 2.2 GW facility operated by the Chinese state-owned utility Huanghe Hydropower Development, which began operations in October 2020.

The construction of the Midong project was undertaken by China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp and Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) in multiple stages. The project encompasses over 5.26 million 650 W monocrystalline bifacial double-glass PV panels. It also includes significant infrastructure such as 1.23 million supporting piles, five 220 kV booster stations, and more than 208 km of transmission lines, which connect the array to the grid via a 750 kV substation.

CGDG, established in December 2020, is a key energy investment entity under the central Chinese government, succeeding the former State Grid-owned Luneng Group. Managed directly by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), CGDG focuses on the investment, construction, and management of renewable energy projects. The group aims to achieve over 20 GW of renewable energy installations by the end of 2024.

Want to learn more about solar farms? Check out our article "What is a solar farm and how much money can it make you".