concept

utility-scale solar energy

Also known as: USSE, utility-scale solar energy projects, utility-scale solar facilities

Facts (14)

Sources

The potential land requirements and related land use change ... nature.com Nature Feb 3, 2021 9 facts

claimLand transformation for hosting Utility-Scale Solar Energy (USSE) can result in either a net release of carbon stored in soil and vegetation or net carbon uptake, depending on land management practices and prior land use.

measurementLand use change (LUC) emissions, which are typically excluded from Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), increase the total life cycle emissions of new utility-scale solar energy (USSE) projects by 10 to 150% in the absence of land management practices focused on sequestering carbon.

measurementUtility-scale solar energy (USSE) land use efficiency is up to six times lower than initial estimates, according to recent studies based on satellite views.

claimSiting policies for Utility-Scale Solar Energy (USSE) should avoid adverse land impacts by excluding high-yield cropland, maximizing the use of urban areas and degraded arable land, and managing solar land with herbs and animal grazing to convert the land into a net source of carbon sequestration.

claimThe installation of utility-scale solar energy on land is subject to solar resource constraints, geographical constraints (such as slope and existing land use), and regulatory constraints (such as protected status for ecosystem and wildlife preservation).

claimUtility-scale solar energy in densely populated countries is often installed on arable land suitable for agriculture or forestry, which intensifies land competition.

measurementUtility-Scale Solar Energy (USSE) land occupation is projected to range from 0.5% to 2.8% of total territory in the EU, 0.3% to 1.4% in India, and 1.2% to 5.2% in Japan and South-Korea, assuming solar energy accounts for 25% to 80% of the electricity mix.

claimUtility-Scale Solar Energy (USSE) projects in Europe, India, Japan, and South Korea primarily use arable land.

claimClearing currently vegetated land for utility-scale solar energy has local impacts on biodiversity, carbon cycling, and aesthetics.

Practitioners' perceived risks to biodiversity from renewable energy ... nature.com Nature Feb 27, 2025 3 facts

referenceMulvaney (2017) identifies the roots of conflict, described as a 'Green Civil War', over utility-scale solar energy projects on public lands in the American Southwest.

referenceMoore-O’Leary et al. (2017) identify critical ecological concepts related to the sustainability of utility-scale solar energy.

referenceSinha et al. (2018) outlined best practices for responsible land use to improve biodiversity at utility-scale solar facilities.

What Role Does Nuclear Energy Play in the Race to Net Zero? earth.org Earth.org Jul 19, 2023 2 facts

measurementThe International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports that between 2010 and the present, the global weighted average levelised cost of electricity has decreased by 68% for utility-scale solar PV, 47% for onshore wind, 39% for offshore wind, and 29% for concentrated solar power.

measurementBetween 2010 and the time of the report, the global weighted average levelised cost of electricity fell by 68% for utility-scale solar PV, 47% for onshore wind, 39% for offshore wind, and 29% for concentrated solar power.