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How does solar energy work

Solar farms can produce energy in two ways.

  • Solar photovoltaic farms use solar power panels to convert the sun’s rays into electricity.
  • Solar thermal farms use solar energy to heat a transfer fluid, which is used to heat water. That water creates steam to spin a turbine that produces electricity.

Meridian’s solar photovoltaic farm

Our subsidiary Meridian Energy USA operates a solar photovoltaic farm.

The 50,000 solar panels at CalRENEW-1 in California cover almost 50 acres of land, linking together to form an ‘array’.

The panels convert solar energy into direct current (DC) electricity. They’re grouped together in strings to five inverters.

The inverters convert the electricity to alternating current (AC). They then send that electricity through cables to the electric grid via the site substation.