Utility-scale solar is large scale (sometimes defined as greater than 1 MW or sometimes 4 MW_AC )

solar power Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic e ...

either from: A photovoltaic power station at a scale large enough to be classified as 'utility-scale'; or Concentrated solar power whereas

rooftop solar A rooftop solar power system, or rooftop PV system, is a photovoltaic (PV) system that has its electricity-generating solar panels mounted on the rooftop of a residential or commercial building or structure. The various components of such a syst ...

is usually smaller. The utility-scale solar sector has led the overall U.S. solar market in terms of installed capacity since 2012. Increasingly batteries are co-located, in order to sell into the evening peak of the

duck curve The duck curve is a graph of power production over the course of a day that shows the timing imbalance between peak demand and renewable energy production. Used in utility-scale electricity generation, the term was coined in 2012 by the Cali ...

. Output voltages reach 1000VAC as of 2021. They can sometimes be agrovoltaics. Utility-scale refers to electrical plant or equipment, whose operation, as an individual entity would cause a noticeable change in the operation of a utility. For example, a single domestic PV panel, on its own has no discernible effect on the operation of a power network. A 1 MW installation can impact on local voltage, and disturb system frequency. In some countries it is competitive with

wind power Wind power or wind energy is mostly the use of wind turbines to electricity generation, generate electricity. Wind power is a popular, sustainable energy, sustainable, renewable energy source that has a much smaller Environmental impact of wi ...

. In many countries it is cheaper than new fossil fuel power plants and in a few in the Middle East is becoming cheaper than existing fossil fuel plants as of 2021. The cost reduction is expected to spread to other countries.

References

{{Reflist Solar energy Public utilities