Guo Daoxin is working on photovoltaic panel project

Does PV power station deployment promote desert greening in China?

In general, the desert greening (with a significant increase in vegetation) in China from PV power station deployment is largely promoted by the policy-driven Photovoltaic Desert Control Projects. However, the human activities effects on vegetation are often superimposed on the long-term climate-driven variations.

Are PV power stations causing vegetation changes in desert areas?

This study used CCDC-SMA and the proposed PAVG fraction to analyze vegetation changes caused by large-scale deployment of PV power stations in desert areas. The results demonstrated that PV plants in China's desert regions have expanded rapidly in recent years, reaching 102.56 km 2 in 2018.

Where are PV power stations located in China?

Results show that PV power stations in China's 12 biggest deserts expanded from 0 to 102.56 km 2 from 2011 to 2018, mainly distributed in the central part of north China. The desert vegetation in the deployment area of PV power stations presented a significant greening trend.

Are PV power stations booming in China?

China has vast desert areas, mainly located in the northern arid and semi-arid regions (SFA, 2011). In these areas, where ecosystems are very fragile, PV power stations are booming (Wu et al., 2014a).

Does photovoltaic development improve environmental conditions in desert areas?

Photovoltaic development in desert areas has significantly improved local ecological and environmental conditions. At the WPS, the Status and Impact scores were 0.182 and 0.11, respectively, indicating a significant impact on the ecological environment of the study area.

Do PV power stations affect the environment?

In contrast, we observed significant vegetation changes caused by the deployment of PV power stations in China's desert areas, including vegetation greening and degradation. The findings suggest the importance of conducting large-scale remote sensing observations for a comprehensive understanding of the ecological impacts of PV power stations.