This list ranks the world’s five largest solar power plants by installed electrical capacity that is operational and exporting to the grid. The ranking uses operator and government reporting of commissioned, grid‑export nameplate capacity (megawatts, MW) and includes only utility‑scale photovoltaic or concentrated‑solar installations that are already online as of the reporting cutoff.
Measuring by installed, commissioned capacity highlights where the largest concentrated solar assets are already contributing to grids—not planned or under‑construction projects—so the list shows the real, operating scale of today’s solar megaprojects and how different countries are deploying utility‑scale PV at very large scale.
Quick Comparison
| Rank | Item | Location | Ranking value (MW) | Date / Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 3,860 MW | as of 31 Mar 2026 |
| 2 | Midong Solar Park (Midong PV project) | Midong District / Urumqi, Xinjiang, China | 3,500 MW | commissioned June 2024 |
| 3 | Bhadla Solar Park | Bhadla, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India | 2,245 MW | reported through 2024–2025 |
| 4 | Huanghe Hydropower Hainan (Golmud) Solar Park | Qinghai Province (Golmud / Hainan), China | 2,200 MW | commissioned in phases up to 2020 |
| 5 | Pavagada Solar Park | Tumkur district, Karnataka, India | 2,050 MW | operational reporting 2019–2025 |
#5 — Pavagada Solar Park
Location: Tumkur district, Karnataka, India
Ranking value: 2,050 MW
Relevant year: operational reporting 2019–2025
Pavagada Solar Park is an aggregated solar complex deployed under a state‑level “solar park” model in Karnataka. The verified reporting treated Pavagada as a collection of roughly 40 developer blocks spread across about 11,000 acres—a structure that allows multiple independent power producers to connect into a single park. Pavagada’s total commissioned, grid‑export capacity is reported at 2,050 MW by India’s Central Electricity Authority and related operational records. Its ranking at #5 reflects cumulative, operational capacity rather than planned additions. The park is often referenced regionally as “Shakti Sthala” in developer and system records owing to its scale and multi‑developer setup.
#4 — Huanghe Hydropower Hainan (Golmud) Solar Park
Location: Qinghai Province, China (Golmud / Hainan area)
Ranking value: 2,200 MW
Relevant year: commissioned in phases up to 2020
Huanghe Hydropower Hainan (also reported with Golmud/Hainan location descriptors) is a multi‑phase clustered PV complex in Qinghai Province frequently cited in academic and industry compilations at about 2.2 GW. Built and commissioned in stages through 2020, the complex exemplifies China’s approach of large, phased solar developments in high‑insolation inland provinces. Its 2,200 MW figure is a compilation‑style reporting value used by technical reviews and specialist plant lists; that operational total places Huanghe Hainan at #4 on this list because the metric is commissioned grid‑export capacity rather than nameplate DC‑rated module power.
#3 — Bhadla Solar Park
Location: Bhadla, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India
Ranking value: 2,245 MW
Relevant year: commissioned in phases; reporting through 2024–2025
Bhadla Solar Park, assembled in multiple phases in Rajasthan’s desert region, is reported by state authorities at a total commissioned capacity of 2,245 MW. Spread over roughly 5,700 hectares according to state documentation, Bhadla has been developed as a layered portfolio of projects that together constitute one of India’s largest contiguous solar complexes. Its #3 ranking comes from the verified, operational capacity reported by government sources, which places it above other large parks whose commissioned totals are lower or whose totals include non‑operational capacity.
#2 — Midong Solar Park (Midong PV project)
Location: Midong District / Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
Ranking value: 3,500 MW
Relevant year: declared operational — commissioned June 2024
Midong is a very large, operator‑reported PV complex in the Midong/Urumqi area of Xinjiang. Industry reporting summarising the project’s commissioning places its operational, grid‑export capacity at about 3,500 MW as of June 2024. Technical coverage highlights the project’s use of high‑power bifacial modules and extensive transmission arrangements to move generation into China’s grid. Because the ranking is based on commissioned and exporting capacity, Midong’s operator‑declared 3.5 GW of operational nameplate places it firmly in second place on this list.
#1 — Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ranking value: 3,860 MW
Relevant year: commissioned capacity reported as of 31 Mar 2026
Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest solar complex on this list based on DEWA’s reported commissioned capacity. DEWA’s system installed capacity disclosures show the MBR Solar Park at 3,860 MW of commissioned, grid‑connected capacity as of 31 March 2026. The project has been developed phase‑by‑phase under an IPP model; DEWA’s reporting and accompanying project statements note phased rollouts and earlier public targets (for example a previously stated 5 GW by 2030 benchmark), which have been updated in later planning statements. The verified DEWA disclosure is the basis for the park’s top ranking here.
How We Ranked Them
This ranking uses a single, explicit metric: installed electrical capacity that is operational and exporting to the grid, reported in megawatts (MW). Where operators or official sources specify AC/grid‑export nameplate the AC figure was used; DC (MWp) figures were excluded unless the operator explicitly equated them to grid‑export capacity. Inclusion was limited to utility‑scale photovoltaic or concentrated solar plants that were operational and exporting to the grid by the reporting cutoff (most recent operator/government/industry updates available up to 21 September 2026).
Under‑construction or planned capacity was excluded. When reported values differed across sources, we prioritized operator and government disclosures and recent industry technical profiles; the verification notes identify where there were differing snapshots (for example DEWA’s Mar‑2026 disclosure for MBR and operator/industry commissioning statements for Midong). Borderline or historically cited plants with lower commissioned totals—such as Tengger Desert Solar Park (≈1,547 MW)—were excluded because their verified operational capacities fall below the fifth place value used here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some lists show different capacities for the same solar park?
Published capacities can differ because some sources report DC (module, MWp) ratings while operators or grid authorities report AC grid‑export nameplate. This ranking uses commissioned, operational grid‑export capacity (MW, AC where sources specify) and favors operator or government disclosures; lists that mix DC and AC values will not be directly comparable.
Are under‑construction or planned projects included?
No. This list includes only utility‑scale photovoltaic or concentrated‑solar plants that are operational and exporting to the grid as of the reporting cutoff. Planned or under‑construction capacities were explicitly excluded.
What reporting period does this list use?
The ranking is based on operator and government reporting available up to 21 September 2026. Dates shown next to each entry indicate the relevant reporting snapshot used (for example DEWA’s disclosure as of 31 March 2026 and Midong’s June 2024 commissioning statement).
Why was a well‑known park like Tengger excluded?
Some large, well‑known parks were excluded because their verified operational, commissioned capacity is lower than the cutoff for this top five. Tengger Desert Solar Park, for example, is reported at about 1,547 MW operational and therefore ranks below the five entries listed here whose verified commissioned totals are larger.
Sources
- DEWA (financial/operational disclosure) — DEWA system installed capacity table showing MBR Solar Park commissioned capacity as of 31 Mar 2026.
- POWER magazine — Midong project profile — industry reporting summarising the operator’s commissioning statement for Midong (3,500 MW, June 2024).
- Government of Rajasthan, Economic Review — state reporting on Bhadla Solar Park’s commissioned capacity and project details.
- Rajasthan state renewable energy page — supplementary state material on Bhadla Solar Park.
- MDPI (technical review) — academic/technical compilation listing Huanghe Hainan at ~2,200 MW and noting phased commissioning through 2020.
- List.Solar — largest PV power plants list — specialist database and industry listing used for comparison and aggregate plant details.
- Central Electricity Authority (CEA) operational report — CEA plant‑wise operational capacity reporting used for Pavagada Solar Park totals.
- SRPC Karnataka record notes — discussion notes on Pavagada Solar Park aggregation, developer blocks, and park characteristics.
- IEEFA global solar report — context reference for other large plants (e.g., Tengger) used to confirm exclusions based on operational capacity.
- List.Solar — China plants — specialised listing used to corroborate China project entries and capacities.
Last Updated
September 2026
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