Worldwide investment in renewable energy topped $2 trillion in 2024. For Climate Solutions Week, we wanted to highlight some amazing projects around the world that showcase innovative technology, ambitious scale, and the commitment to a cleaner and sustainable future.
In Morocco, the Noor Solar Power Station is a huge concentrated solar power facility that generates power for more than a million Moroccans. The facility stores some of the heat generated by the sun in molten salt so it can continue to produce power after sunset.
The Three Gorges Dam in China is the world’s largest power plant by installed capacity. The 32 turbines generate enough electricity to power millions of homes.
The Alta Wind Energy Center in California is one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world. The 600 turbines at the facility provide clean electricity for up to 450,000 homes.
The Yamakura Dam Floating Solar Project in Japan has more than 50,000 solar panels that provide electricity for about 5,000 households. The plant is located atop the surface of the Yamakura Dam reservoir and is one of the largest floating solar installations in the world.
The Hellisheiði Power Station in Iceland is one of the world’s most technologically advanced geothermal energy plants. It taps into Iceland’s volcanic geology and draws both high-pressure steam and hot water to provide both electricity and heat to thousands of local homes and businesses.
These five projects are just a sampling of the renewable energy development going on all over the world.
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Web Links
Powering the Future: Innovative Renewable Energy Projects Around the World
Photo, posted December 1, 2019, courtesy of Richard Allaway via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio