The World's Largest Solar Power Plant: Powering Tomorrow's Grid Today

As nations scramble to meet net-zero targets, the United Arab Emirates is constructing what might be the most ambitious solar project yet—the 5.2 gigawatt (GW) Al Dhafra Solar Park. Scheduled for completion in 2027, this $6 billion behemoth will cover 52.44 square kilometers (20.25 sq mi)—roughly the size of 10,000 football fields—with nearly 10 million solar panels . But how do these colossal projects actually work, and why are countries racing to build bigger installations?