Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation in Northwest China

Where are PV power plants located in China?

By 2020, the installed capacity of PV power generation in the northwestern Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia had each exceeded 10,000 kW. Furthermore, all CSP projects with an installed capacity exceeding 5,000 kW are also located in the Northwest region (China Electricity Council, 2022).

Why are PV power stations growing in China?

Energy policies are the main factor driving the rapid development of PV power stations in China (Fig. 10 a) (Yang et al., 2020). Since 2004, China’s PV production has experienced tremendous growth due to the dramatic increase in demand for PV in European countries and reached number one in the world in 2007 (Xu, 2016).

Why do we need to monitor photovoltaic power development in China?

Particularly, in China, the number and scale of photovoltaic (PV) power stations have grown unprecedentedly in the last decade. There is an urgent need to monitor the PV power development in order to accurately estimate national renewable potentials and understand the ecological impacts.

What land is used for PV power stations in China?

Land used for PV power stations were mainly converted from Gobi desert, sandy land, sparse and moderate grassland. The focus of China’s PV industry is shifting from the northwest to the south and east. Many leading countries are boosting renewables, especially solar energy, as a major way to mitigate future energy crises and climate change.

Can solar energy develop in the desert region of Northwest China?

Water resources are critically limited in the desert regions of Northwest China; however, the potential for solar energy development in these areas is substantial.

What percentage of the world's photovoltaic capacity is installed in China?

In the past decade, approximately 17 % of the world's photovoltaic capacity has been installed in China, especially in the northwestern desert areas.