Gobi Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation

Can solar energy improve ecological conditions in Gobi deserts?

PV-induced climate effects could contribute to improving ecological conditions in Gobi Deserts. In this study, a promising photovoltaic (PV) deployment scenario is firstly designed to represent China’s solar energy development in the context of its dual carbon target.

Will China build 455 gigawatts of solar power in the Gobi?

China plans to build 455 gigawatts of solar and wind power generation capacity in the Gobi and other desert regions by 2030 as part of efforts to boost renewable power use to meet climate change goals, according to a document issued by National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration in March 2022.

What is the Gobi Desert solar park?

The 2.2 gigawatt facility spans an area of over 25 square kilometers in the Gobi desert. This $3 billion flagship project demonstrates the epic scale of renewable infrastructure developing worldwide. Traveling to the Tengger Desert Solar Park in northwestern China, rows upon rows of solar panels extend endlessly under the barren sky.

What is the power transmission project in Gobi Desert?

An illustration of the power transmission project in Gobi Desert. /CMG Construction of a new ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission project, which will send power from northwest China to the central province of Hunan, began in Tengger Desert in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Sunday.

Could 450 gigawatts power the Gobi Desert?

Besides supplying energy, the project has halved local wind speeds, restored vegetation and boosted sheep herders’ incomes by 2 million yuan (US$280,000). China is looking at projects in the Gobi desert that could generate 450 gigawatts — 20 times the output of the Three Gorges Dam.

Could PV plants improve climate conditions in China's Gobi deserts?

PV plants in China’s northwestern Gobi Deserts would favor lower evaporation and wind. Local climate effects of PV plants are equivalent to or even greater than projected climate variability. PV-induced climate effects could contribute to improving ecological conditions in Gobi Deserts.