Solar photovoltaic program helps turn deserts green in China: Evidence from satellite monitoring. (15th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xia, Zilong; Li, Yingjie; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Ruishan; Guo, Shanchuan; Zhang, Peng; Du, Peijun
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 324(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15
• Subjects: Solar energy -- CCDC-SMA -- Fractional vegetation cover -- Time series analysis -- Landsat; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116338
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Solar energy is considered one of the key solutions to the growing demand for energy and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to the relatively low cost of land use for solar energy and high power generation potential, a large number of photovoltaic (PV) power stations have been established in desert areas around the world. Despite the contribution to easing the energy crisis and combating climate change, large-scale construction and operation of PV power stations can change the land cover and affect the environment. However, few studies have focused on these special land cover changes, especially vegetation cover changes, which hinders understanding the effects of the extensive development of solar energy. Here, we used Continuous Change Detection and Classification - Spectral Mixture Analysis (CCDC-SMA) based on Landsat images to monitor changes in vegetation abundance before and after the PV power stations deployment. To reduce the interference of PV shading on vegetation abundance estimation, we improved the vegetation (VG) fraction from SMA and developed the Photovoltaics-Adjusted Vegetation (PAVG) fraction for vegetation abundance measurements in PV power stations. 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. Compared to 2010, the greening area reached 30.80 km 2, accounting for 30% of the total area of PV power stations. Overall, the large-scale deployment of PV power stations has promoted desert greening, primarily due to government-led Photovoltaic Desert Control Projects and favorable climatic change. This study shows the great benefits of PV power stations in combating desertification and improving people's welfare, which bring sustainable economic, ecological and social prosperity in sandy ecosystems. Highlights: China's deserts experienced rapid expansion of PV power stations. Remote sensing approaches were used to detect vegetation changes after PV projects. Compared to 2010, the greening area reached 30.80 km 2 after PV projects. Opportunity to combat desertification and improve people's welfare in desert areas.