What is a solar farm?

Solar farm, also known as a solar power plant, is an extensive installation that uses sunlight to produce electricity. Part of the name "Farm" comes from the idea of ​​sunlight "harvest" and also the similarity of some power plants to a field full of crops. Typical solar farm will use one of two different methods to produce energy: photovoltaic cells or concentrated solar thermal energy. They usually consist of a huge number of PV solar cells collected in fields. Because the amount of energy that can be produced depends on the amount of sunlight that can be collected, the PV solar farm can have tens or hundreds of thousands of solar fields set on large areas of soil. The fields are usually individually mounted and are programmed to tilt to watch the sun as its angle changes. This movement allows the panel to capture the maximum intensity of the sunlight throughout the day.

Solar thermal farms use the strength of the sun in a different way. On the thermal solar farm, the sunlight is focused using lenses or reflectors in one or more places and is used to increase the temperature of the liquid, usually oil. This liquid will be used to operate the traditional generator, often boiling water to drive a steam turbine. On solar thermal farms there are more variations of structure than for PV farms - some have individual reflectors that each heats their own small area, while others have many mirrors focused on one point, often a tower or other raised place.

Solar farms are usually found in flat areas, as the soil level eliminates shadows reducing efficiency. The best places will also have a clear sky and strong sunlight, although excessive heat can reduce efficiency. Because this occupies space, many solar farms are built in desert areas to avoid using arable land. In addition toE The intensity of sunlight differs depending on where the farm is built on the ground; Places near the equator will have a stronger light than those closer to the North or South Poles, making more energy.

In contrast to fossil power plants, a solar farm uses a renewable source. Solar energy is therefore usually considered to be better for the environment. In some cases, however, there were concerns about the environmental impact in the construction of plants because their settings require significant sources.