Photos: The Growth of Solar-Power Stations

Construction of utility-scale renewable-power facilities around the world has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Although the total percentage of global power needs met by photovoltaic energy alone remains small, at about 6 percent, it is on the rise. Governments and large companies are building massive facilities to provide both solar thermal and photovoltaic energy, converting the sun’s energy into electricity for millions of homes and businesses. Solar-panel farms are being installed on hillsides, rooftops, and pastures, and, more and more, in floating arrays in harbors or reservoirs. Gathered below are images of some of these new solar-power installations around the world.