What is a photovoltaic power station?

A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant, is a large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power system (PV system) designed for the supply of merchant power.

How to characterize the development of PV power stations?

Characterizing the Development of PV Power Stations Based on the long-time series of medium-resolution satellite images, we used the Random Forest model and LandTrendr algorithm to identify PV power stations and their construction years.

Why are PV power stations growing in China?

Energy policies are the main factor driving the rapid development of PV power stations in China . Since 2004, PV production in China has experienced tremendous growth due to the dramatic increase in demand for PV in European countries. To promote the domestic deployment of PV, China launched a national solar subsidy program in 2009 [36, 37].

Why should we use a PV power station map method?

This method helps to quickly map PV power stations and their development trajectory because of its high accuracy and stable algorithm. This method is expected to be extended to other regions in western China where PV power stations are built on a large scale.

Why do we need a large installed capacity of solar energy applications?

Both technologies, applications of concentrated solar power or solar photovoltaics, are always under continuous development to fulfil our energy needs. Hence, a large installed capacity of solar energy applications worldwide, in the same context, supports the energy sector and meets the employment market to gain sufficient development.

What is a solar power plant?

Solar and wind energy dominate the renewable energy market, while biomass and geothermal energy make insignificant contributions [ 1 ]. Photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants are a promising technology for generating clean and renewable electricity from solar energy.