The global ground-mounted solar market was active in 2023. China achieved breakthroughs in the commercialization of perovskite solar technology, traditional energy companies accelerated their cross-border expansion, and projects in Europe and the U.S. continued to advance amid policy support. Below are some representative real news stories from that year.

I. Cutting-edge Technological Breakthrough: World's First Megawatt-Scale Perovskite Ground-mounted Solar Project Connected to Grid

Date: November 29, 2023
Location: Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China

Summary:
At the end of 2023, the solar industry witnessed a milestone event. The world's first commercial megawatt-scale perovskite ground-mounted solar power station, part of the Kubuqi 2 GW Desert Solar and Sand Control Project in Inner Mongolia's Kubuqi Desert, was successfully connected to the grid.

Project Scale: The perovskite project has an installed capacity of 1 MW, covers 40 mu (approx. 2.67 hectares), and uses 11,200 perovskite solar modules.

Technological Significance: Perovskite technology is regarded as the third generation of photovoltaic technology. This grid connection marked its transition from laboratory to substantial commercial application, significantly accelerating its industrialization.

Environmental Value: The project aims to study the performance of perovskite modules in hot and dry desert conditions while combining sand control measures – planting grass and herbs beneath the solar panels via drone seeding.

II. Energy Giant Transformation: Traditional Oil & Gas Companies Enter Utility-scale Solar

Date: July 2023
Location: Gannan, Gansu Province, China

Summary:
Traditional fossil fuel companies are accelerating their transition to green energy. In July 2023, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced that its first onshore utility-scale solar power project – the Gannan Hezuo "Solar-Pastoral" Project – was successfully connected to the grid.

Project Scale: Total installed capacity of 40 MW, complemented by a 6 MW / 12 MWh energy storage facility, covering approximately 930,000 square meters.

Industrial Model: Located on a plateau at about 3,000 meters above sea level, the project uses elevated racking – solar panels generate electricity above while livestock graze below, achieving an integration of green energy and animal husbandry and supporting local rural revitalization.

Environmental Benefit: Compared to a coal-fired plant of equivalent size, the project saves over 20,000 tons of standard coal annually.

In October of the same year, another energy major, Chint Solar, completed the Yintai 100 MW ground-mounted solar project in Aksai County, Gansu Province. The project covers 200 hectares and is equipped with a 15 MW / 60 MWh energy storage system, with an estimated annual power generation of 200 GWh.

III. Global Market Expansion: Projects in Europe, the U.S., and Emerging Markets

1. Austria: Corporate PPA-driven Ground-mounted Project
Date: Construction started in 2023
To address the energy crisis and achieve energy independence, Austrian company SBO collaborated with energy company W.E.B to build a ground-mounted solar system at its Ternitz plant.
The project has an installed capacity of approximately 1.4 MW and is expected to generate 1.45 GWh annually. Notably, the project did not receive any public subsidies – it operates entirely under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) , with all generated electricity used for the company's production.

2. Ohio, USA: Large-scale Project Approved by Regulators
Date: September 2023
Location: Jackson County, Ohio, USA
In September 2023, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the Dixon Run Solar project.
The project plans to build a 140 MW ground-mounted solar farm covering approximately 2,085 acres. The board approved a permit with 46 conditions, requiring setback distances (e.g., at least 300 feet from non-participating residences) and the posting of a decommissioning bond – balancing renewable energy development with farmland protection concerns.