Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly usingconcentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. The 354 MW SEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world, located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include theSolnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power station (150 MW), both in Spain. The over 200 MWAgua Caliente Solar Project in the United States, and the 214 MW Charanka Solar Park in India, are the world’s largestphotovoltaic power stations.

 

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