Finland’s largest double-sided solar farm now operational in Turku

Finland’s largest double-sided solar power plant has begun generating electricity in Turku, with a reflective surface beneath the panels boosting output by 10 percent, Yle reports.

The 6,720-panel facility, built on land owned by pharmaceutical company Bayer in the Artukainen district, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, though it has been operational since April 26. Turku Energia, which owns the plant, will sell all generated power to Bayer under a supply agreement.

The farm is expected to produce 3,400 megawatt-hours annually—enough to cover the consumption of roughly 230 electrically heated single-family homes. Covering an area equivalent to six football fields, the plant uses bifacial solar panels, which Bayer states generate 10 percent more electricity than single-sided alternatives.

To further increase efficiency, 10 percent of the ground beneath the panels has been covered with white limestone quarried from Parainen. The reflective surface bounces additional sunlight onto the underside of the panels, raising output on those sections by 10 percent compared to areas without the limestone layer.