China Gobi Solar Power Station

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.

What is China's largest solar plant?

China continues its relentless expansion of solar power capacity, now home to the world’s largest solar plant. 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.

Why do we need a large-scale wind power base in the Gobi?

Yu Bing, deputy head of the National Energy Administration, said that the construction of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases in the Gobi and other desert regions is a major measure to promote green and low-carbon energy transformation, overall development and security, and build a new energy system.

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.