China is home to the world’s largest group of solar farms, located in Qinghai province on the Tibetan Plateau. This massive solar cluster can generate nearly 17,000 megawatts of electricity, making it much bigger than any solar farm in the United States. While its main job is to produce clean energy, scientists have found that it is also quietly improving the surrounding environment.
According to a study published in the journal Nature, the vast spread of solar panels is helping the desert ecosystem around the farms. Researchers studied soil quality, plant growth, microbes, and air moisture near the solar installations. They noticed the soil beneath the solar panels and nearby spots had extra water in it. That was more than what they saw in the desert areas close by.
One reason is that solar panels block direct sunlight from hitting the ground, which reduces water loss through evaporation. In addition, the regular cleaning of the panels adds extra moisture to the soil. The improved soil quality has helped plants and tiny organisms grow more easily, bringing life back to an area that was once very dry and barren.
The solar farm brings jobs to locals in that remote spot. China’s growth with solar power is pretty quick, because they make almost all the solar panels that the world uses. Their manufacturing side is really strong for that. And they have this big need for electricity too, since they lead in electric vehicles more than anywhere else. That part stands out, how everything ties together, but not perfectly.
In 2024 alone, over 11 million EVs were sold in China, and about 10% of cars on Chinese roads are now electric.
As China continues to build large solar projects in its deserts, these farms may do more than cut emissions. They could also help restore damaged land, proving that clean energy can benefit both the climate and local ecosystems at the same time.
Source
https://www.slashgear.com/2063861/china-largest-solar-farm-desert-ecosystem-study
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