Utility-scale solar power plants provide the benefit of fixed-priced electricity during peak demand periods when electricity from fossil fuels is the most expensive and fastest way to reduce carbon emissions due to their large size.
Utility-scale solar is sometimes defined by a minimum size (which may be from 1,000kW to 500 MW+), and are invariably usually ground mounted. Utility-scale facilities also, by definition, sell the power they generate to the grid under PPA. Often utility-scale facilities are owned and operated by the utility itself and can help them meet mandatory GHG reduction targets. The availability of PPAs and FITs, especially, plays a key role for utility scale solar projects.