The Erlasee Solar Park, or Solarstrompark Gut Erlasee, is an 11.4 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power station located in Bavaria, southern Germany, in one of the sunniest regions of the country. Constructed on a former vineyard by the company Solon SE in 2006, it was then the world's largest photovoltaic power station.

Erlasee Solar Park
Erlasee Solar Park - Photography of several solar trackers, each suspending a dozen of solar panels
The world's largest solar farm 2006/2007
Map
CountryGermany
LocationArnstein, Main-Spessart, Bavaria
Coordinates50°0′11″N 9°55′14″E / 50.00306°N 9.92056°E / 50.00306; 9.92056
StatusOperational
Construction began2005
Commission dateSeptember 2006
Construction cost€70 million
OwnersS.A.G. Solarstrom and others
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area77 ha (190.3 acres)
Power generation
Units operational1,464 x 12
Nameplate capacity11.4 MW
Capacity factor
  • 13 %
Annual net output14 GWh

The project uses 1,464 double-axis solar trackers to increase the annual electricity yield by 30 percent. Each tracker shoulders twelve conventional solar panels made of crystalline silicon. The plant generates about 14,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, or as much as the average consumption of the nearby town of Arnstein.[1]

The plant cost €70 million and covers an area of 77 hectares (190 acres). The project was officially commissioned on 1 September 2006. The inauguration party included a concert given by the popular German rock bands BAP and The BossHoss.

Timeline of the largest PV power stations in the world
Year(a) Name of PV power station Country Capacity
MW
1982 Lugo United States 1
1985 Carrisa Plain United States 5.6
2005 Bavaria Solarpark (Mühlhausen) Germany 6.3
2006 Erlasee Solar Park Germany 11.4
2008 Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park Spain 60
2010 Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant Canada 97
2011 Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park China 200
2012 Agua Caliente Solar Project United States 290
2014 Topaz Solar Farm(b) United States 550
2015 Longyangxia Dam Solar Park China 850
2016 Tengger Desert Solar Park China 1547
2019 Pavagada Solar Park India 2050
2020 Bhadla Solar Park India 2245
2024 Midong Solar Park China 3500
Also see list of photovoltaic power stations and list of notable solar parks
(a) year of final commissioning (b) capacity given in  MWAC otherwise in MWDC

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References

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