Call us on 01242 620894Request a call back

MenuContactPhoneSearch

How do solar farms work?

How do solar farms work?

Installing solar panels is a great solution for generating renewable energy. A solar farm does this on a larger scale.

What is a solar farm?

Solar farms are big areas of land which house large-scale installations of PV solar panels. They’re positioned together and are mostly ground-mounted to generate lots of solar energy. They’re sometimes referred to as photovoltaic power stations or solar parks.

Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. Solar farms do this but generate lots of electrical energy at once.

What is a solar farm used for?

They’re a large-scale renewable clean energy source that feeds directly into the grid. This green solution is better for the environment compared to the use of fossil fuels.

There are two types of solar farms. These are used in different ways.

Large scale – They’re widely used in the commercial and industrial industries and are owned and or operated by a private organisation. Instead of being sold directly to consumers, the energy generated is usually sold to large corporations. These are huge and cost a high amount to build. They’re usually funded by governments or institutional investors. You’ll typically find them in open rural areas. These should have access to lots of sunlight, like farmland or deserts.

Community – These still take up a lot of room but aren’t as big compared to large-scale solar farms. They’re used by smaller communities to provide renewable energy locally. Several individuals and businesses will be using these farms at once. The council might provide a grant, or a neighbourhood might come together to gather funding.

How much space do solar farms require?

Approximately, a solar farm which is one megawatt will need around six to eight acres. A solar farm which is five megawatts will need around 20 to 30 acres of land.

How much space you need will depend on different factors. Some of these include:

Spacing between rows – Solar panels installed on the ground should have sufficient distance between them and any structures close by to avoid issues associated with shading, and to make it easy for maintenance to be carried out.

How well your solar panels work – Those with a high efficiency will create more electricity. This could mean you don’t need as many solar panels.

Quality of land – You need to consider how much of the land is suitable for your solar panels. Soil type, shading, and environmental constraints are all factors to keep in mind. When selecting agricultural land, you should choose a low grade. Consider if you can install rooftop solar panels before installing on the ground.

How much does a solar farm cost?

Smaller community solar farms can cost around £500,000. A larger scale solar farm can cost up to £50 million. This will depend on several factors. The first thing that contributes to this is how many acres your land is. How many solar panels you use, and what equipment is used are important too. Maintenance and connecting your panels to the grid can be extra expenses too.

You also need to think about the average cost per watt. This can be affected by things like the cost of the lease for the land, available sunlight and access to infrastructure.

Are solar farms safe?

Solar farms are safe if constructed correctly with quality materials. They won’t cause danger to surrounding properties. Once they’re built, they won’t produce any further pollution. Surrounding greenery will be able to survive as normal.

However, there are some risks to be aware of for those who own one, like theft. Wildlife can also become confused when their original routes are changed and become trapped in fencing. Extra precautions should be taken to avoid problems like these.

Who benefits from solar farms?

Households and businesses can benefit largely from solar farms. It’s also cheaper in many cases. Solar panels need maintenance and monitoring too. This can create new local job opportunities for people.

They’re a great solution for combatting climate change. Solar panels can be a help in meeting the Paris Agreement’s goal of reaching net zero by 2050.

Solar solutions from Mypower

At Mypower, our team of solar panel experts have been helping a range of companies since 2010. We’re dedicated to supplying and installing solar panels across a number of sectors. This includes agricultural solar panels, commercial solar panels, and industrial solar panels. Our solar panel company works to secure people’s electricity, minimise carbon footprint, and futureproof electricity costs.

Most of the solar panels which we install are manufactured by QCells or Trina. These are award-winning companies in their field and have exceptionally high-quality panels. Their designs and technology are based on the most recent research which delivers amazing performance. Find out more and contact us here.

Keep track on what we've been up to and join the conversation on clean, green, renewable energy on our LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!