Why Is China Keen On Developing Photovoltaics In Deserts?
China has been extensively promoting solar energy in deserts, There are several reasons for this strategy.
1. China's Vast Territory With Substantial Desert Areas
China is the fourth largest country in the world, covering an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. It has many deserts in its region, including the Taklamakan Desert and the Gobi Desert, which are among the largest deserts in the world. The South China Sea Islands, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang all have desert areas.
According to data, China's desertified land accounts for nearly a quarter of the country's land area. Desertification is spreading, leading to environmental degradation, soil erosion, and water shortage.
Moreover, desertification contributes to the growth of sandstorms, resulting in increasingly harmful air quality and ecological damage. These issues pose severe challenges to China's environmental sustainability and socioeconomic development.
2. Abundance of Solar and Wind Resources in Deserts
The desert regions of China offer excellent opportunities for generating solar and wind energy. These resources have become the focus of China's drive to achieve renewable energy targets.
Desert regions are characterized by high temperature and long duration of sunshine, providing ideal conditions for solar energy generation. According to estimates, desert areas in Central and Western China have an average annual sunshine duration of more than 2,600 hours, and some places exceed 3,000 hours.
China's wind resource endowment is also abundant in the desert regions. The Gobi Desert, for instance, has one of the strongest wind resources in the world. According to the National Energy Administration, the technical potential for wind power installed capacity is more than 3,000 GW in China, and over 60% of the potential is located in the desert areas in the west and north.
3. Protection and Restoration of Desertified Areas
The expansion of the desert poses a significant threat to China's ecological and socioeconomic stability. The Chinese government has been actively pursuing the stabilizing and revitalizing of desert ecosystems. One way to achieve this is through the use of renewable energy projects like solar energy to help prevent further desertification.
Preventing desertification can be done by covering large areas of land with either solar PV cells or CSP mirrors, which would eliminate the direct exposure of the soil to sunlight. Moreover, the shadow effect can help reduce the temperature of the local atmosphere, promote plant growth, and mitigate the effects of sandstorms.
China's efforts have been effective; China's annual desert area has decreased by over 1,000 square kilometers in the past several years. However, the area still faces significant environmental risks. Therefore, expanding the utilization of renewable energies in this region is advantageous as it benefits both the environment and the country.
Conclusion
China's focus on solar energy in deserts is expected to have a positive impact on the country's long-term sustainable development. With its vast territory and desert regions, China has significant opportunities to encourage the establishment of large-scale solar projects. These efforts can greatly improve the environmental situation and provide economic independence through alternative and renewable energy sources rather than relying on traditional fossil fuel-based electricity sources. The deployment of renewable energy projects in these arid regions of western China will not only reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment but also improve energy security in China and reduce the dependence on imported fossil fuels. Moreover, it is an essential step towards achieving the country's goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.