The world’s biggest solar projects are moving beyond conventional photovoltaic farms in 2026, with developers combining solar, battery storage, wind, transmission infrastructure and long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).
India, China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Chile and Egypt are hosting some of the largest projects. Investment is also shifting toward solar-plus-storage platforms as developers seek to supply electricity beyond daylight hours and improve returns from renewable assets.
Here are 10 of the world’s most significant solar and solar-led renewable projects in 2026, ranked and compared using capacity, investment, storage and other major project metrics.
1. Khavda Renewable Energy Park, India – 30 GW Target
The Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat is one of the world’s largest renewable developments, targeting 30 GW across approximately 538 sq km.
Importantly, the 30 GW represents total renewable capacity incorporating solar, wind and hybrid projects rather than solar alone. Adani Green Energy (AGEL) had around 10.3 GW operational at Khavda by June 2026.
AGEL’s overall operational renewable portfolio reached 20.28 GW in September 2026 after commissioning another 139 MW solar project. The company also had 3,551 MWh of operational battery energy storage systems (BESS).
During the June quarter, AGEL added 4,327 MW of renewable capacity while energy sales increased 30 percent YoY to 13,657 million units.
Its renewable energy portfolio is targeting 50 GW of renewable capacity and 50,000 MWh — or 50 GWh — of battery storage by 2030.
2. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, UAE – 8+ GW Target
Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park had approximately 3.86 GW commissioned by early 2026 and is targeting more than 8 GW by 2030.
The project combines photovoltaic, concentrated solar power (CSP) and increasingly energy storage. Total planned investment exceeds AED 50 billion.
According to DEWA’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the development is expected to avoid more than 8.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
The Dubai project demonstrates how Middle Eastern solar developments are evolving from standalone PV plants toward large integrated clean-energy hubs.
3. Midong Solar Project, China – 3.5 GW
China’s Midong Solar Project in Xinjiang is one of the largest individual photovoltaic projects globally, with 3.5 GW of installed capacity.
Commissioned in 2024, Midong can generate approximately 6.09 billion kWh annually.
The project required investment of approximately CNY 15.45 billion ($2.13 billion), equivalent to around $0.61 million per MW.
Its combination of massive capacity and relatively low capital cost illustrates China’s ability to deploy utility-scale solar at enormous scale.
4. Oasis de Atacama, Chile – 2.5 GW Solar + 14.1 GWh Storage
Grenergy’s Oasis de Atacama is one of the strongest examples of where the global solar industry is heading.
The Chilean platform combines 2.5 GW of solar generation with 14.1 GWh of battery storage. That represents storage equivalent to approximately 5.6 hours relative to solar capacity.
Total investment is approximately $2.5 billion.
Oasis is also demonstrating a new financing model for solar-plus-storage projects. In September 2026, Grenergy sold its Gabriela phase for $475 million to CVC DIF.
Gabriela includes 272 MW of solar and 1,100 MWh of storage, operates under a 15-year hybrid PPA, and was supported by a $324 million green loan.
The Gabriela asset transaction shows how renewable developers can recycle capital from completed projects into new solar and battery developments.
5. Al Dhafra Solar PV, UAE – 2 GW
The 2 GW Al Dhafra Solar PV project in Abu Dhabi is among the world’s largest single-site photovoltaic plants.
Developed by TAQA, Masdar, EDF Renewables and JinkoPower, the project uses bifacial PV technology.
Its electricity tariff was reduced from AED 4.97 fils/kWh to AED 4.85 fils/kWh, equivalent to approximately $0.0132/kWh.
Al Dhafra can supply electricity equivalent to the requirements of around 200,000 homes while avoiding more than 2.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
The exceptionally low tariff highlights the economics achievable through high solar irradiation, large-scale procurement and competitive financing.
6. Bhadla Solar Park, India – 2.245 GW
India’s Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan has approximately 2.245 GW of capacity spread across more than 6,000 hectares.
Rather than being developed as a single power plant, Bhadla accommodates multiple developers using shared infrastructure and transmission facilities.
The model has helped India develop utility-scale renewable projects by reducing some of the land and infrastructure challenges individual developers would otherwise face.
7. Al Shuaibah Solar Projects, Saudi Arabia – 2.6+ GW
Saudi Arabia’s Al Shuaibah solar development exceeds 2.6 GW across Al Shuaibah 1 and 2, including 2,060 MWac at Al Shuaibah 2.
The projects use N-type bifacial monocrystalline PV technology and have a combined investment value of approximately $2.37 billion.
A particularly important feature is the 35-year PPA structure, providing unusually long-term revenue visibility for the developers.
Al Shuaibah demonstrates how Saudi Arabia is combining large projects, long-term procurement and competitive solar technology to accelerate its renewable-energy program.
8. Pavagada Solar Park, India – 2.05 GW
The Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka has approximately 2.05 GW of capacity across around 12,937 acres.
Annual electricity generation is estimated at around 4.5 billion units, while the project is associated with approximately 3.6 million tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions annually.
Like Bhadla, Pavagada demonstrates how coordinated land aggregation and shared infrastructure can support multiple developers within a single utility-scale renewable cluster.
9. Benban Solar Park, Egypt – 1.465 GW
Egypt’s Benban Solar Park near Aswan has approximately 1.465 GW of operating capacity, with broader expansion plans associated with potential capacity of around 2.1 GW.
Benban’s importance extends beyond its size. The development brought multiple independent power producers together through coordinated land, grid infrastructure, government support and international project finance.
It remains one of Africa’s most important reference projects for attracting private investment into utility-scale solar.
10. Sudair Solar PV, Saudi Arabia – 1.5 GW
The 1.5 GW Sudair Solar PV project provides another indication of the rapidly improving economics of Saudi solar.
The project has a reported investment cost of $924 million, equivalent to approximately $0.616 million per MW.
Sudair uses bifacial modules, tracking systems and automated robotic cleaning. Electricity is supplied under a 25-year PPA with the Saudi Power Procurement Company.
The project can provide electricity equivalent to the requirements of approximately 185,000 homes while avoiding nearly 2.9 million tonnes of emissions annually.
The ACWA Power Sudair Solar PV project provides further details on the project’s technology and PPA structure.
Solar + Battery Storage Emerges as the Next Investment Opportunity
The biggest change in utility-scale solar is the rapid integration of battery storage.
Traditional solar plants produce most of their electricity during daylight hours. Large BESS installations allow developers to move electricity into evening demand periods, reduce curtailment and provide additional flexibility to electricity grids.
Oasis de Atacama’s 2.5 GW solar and 14.1 GWh storage platform is one of the clearest examples. Khavda is taking a different approach by combining solar, wind, hybrid generation and batteries inside a much larger renewable-energy ecosystem.
The key metric for the next generation of projects will therefore no longer be solar capacity in GW alone. Investors will increasingly examine GWh of storage, storage duration, tariff, project cost, grid access and PPA duration.
Solar Project Economics: $0.61 Million/MW to $0.0132/kWh Tariffs
The projects also reveal how competitive utility-scale solar economics have become.
China’s 3.5 GW Midong project cost approximately $2.13 billion, translating into roughly $0.61 million per MW, while Saudi Arabia’s 1.5 GW Sudair project cost $924 million, or about $0.616 million per MW.
At Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi, the solar tariff reached approximately $0.0132/kWh.
Meanwhile, developers are using long-duration PPAs to provide predictable cash flows: Al Shuaibah has a 35-year PPA structure, Sudair has a 25-year PPA, and the Gabriela solar-plus-storage project in Chile has a 15-year hybrid PPA.
Biggest Solar Projects Signal Shift Toward Integrated Clean Power
The world’s leading solar projects show that size alone is no longer the defining competitive metric.
Midong’s 3.5 GW demonstrates the economics of giant standalone PV plants, while Al Dhafra’s $0.0132/kWh tariff highlights how inexpensive large-scale solar generation can become.
At the same time, Oasis de Atacama’s 14.1 GWh battery system and Khavda’s combination of solar, wind and storage point toward the industry’s next stage.
The winners in the next solar investment cycle will increasingly be developers capable of combining low-cost generation, large-scale batteries, grid connectivity, financing and long-term PPAs to deliver renewable electricity when customers actually need it.
SHAFANA FAZAL
