Quantitative analyses of multidimensional ecological impacts of Talatan photovoltaic power plant on desert ecosystems in Northwestern China

Bibliographic Data

ID15544628
AuthorsYufen Tong (Zhejiang University, corresponding author), Yishuang Tong (0009-0007-5803-0746), Qian Ding (0000-0002-1539-7376, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, corresponding author), Chongbin Xu (0000-0003-0808-8572, Detector Technology (United States), corresponding author), Qian Chen (0000-0002-5249-7421, Detector Technology (United States), corresponding author), Guojin He (0000-0001-7225-7276, Chinese Academy of Sciences, corresponding author), Zhiyun Ouyang (0000-0003-0927-0499, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, corresponding author), Wu Yang (0000-0002-1682-3349, Zhejiang Lab, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume20
Issue9
Pages094035-094035
Publication date2025-08-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
PublisherIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/adf7c1
OpenAlexW4412979589
LanguageEN
References cited46

Globally, solar energy has supplanted fossil fuels as the predominant source of clean energy. Scholars have been calling for techno-ecological synergies that minimizing unintended environmental consequences; however, empirical evidence is largely missing in the existing literature. Taking the world’s largest photovoltaic (PV) power plant as a demonstration, combining remote sensing images with field data, we actively used the spatiotemporal dynamic analysis, gross ecosystem products accounting method and statistical analysis methods to show techno-ecological synergies for electricity generation and ecological recovery. Specifically, our analyses reveal that (1) PV panels reduced surface albedo. The albedo of three broad spectral bands decreased by >15% in PV area; (2) comparing to areas between and outside the PV areas, areas under the PV panels enhanced vegetation cover by 61.86% (absolute coverage of 38.22%) and 131.80% (absolute coverage of 56.86%), unit area above-ground biomass by 133.71% (119 g) and 235.48% (146 g), and plant height by 31.02% (17.36 cm) and 45.58% (22.96 cm), respectively. Nevertheless, PV panels exerted a negative impact on soil organic matter but did not significantly affect other soil and vegetation indicators (i.e. soil water content, vegetation nitrogen content, and vegetation biodiversity, etc); and (3) PV panels improved ecosystem services. Specifically, from 2010 to 2020, among the four ecosystem regulating services, carbon sequestration and oxygen release increased by 178.46% (70.92 t km −2 and 51.58 t km −2 ), sand fixation by 13.76% (3920.19 t km −2 ), and soil retention by 4.16% (467.02 t km −2 ), respectively. Our study demonstrates a potentially sustainable mode in desert areas that supports vertical multiple land uses, improves the surface ecological environment while harnesses solar energy. With better understanding and management of the coupled human-natural energy systems, including the light allocation between PV panels, the selection of appropriate vegetation types beneath panels, and effective management, it is promising that there will be more techno-ecological synergies worldwide

Biology · China · Desert (philosophy · Ecosystem · Environmental resource management · Geography · Photovoltaic system · Political science · Energy and Environment Impacts · Environmental Science · Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability · Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy · Ecology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access