Observational Study on the Impact of Large-Scale Photovoltaic Development in Deserts on Local Air Temperature and Humidity

Abstract

As an important form of clean energy, photovoltaic (PV) power generation is entering a rapid development phase. Qinghai, China is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It has sufficient sunlight and rich heat and light resources, includes a large area of the Gobi Desert, and has become China’s largest base for PV power generation. However, large-scale PV development in deserts changes the local surface energy distribution and impacts local microclimates. This study considered the Gonghe PV Power Plant in Qinghai as an example. Three monitoring stations were set up in the PV power plant, transition, and reference areas, and the influence of large-scale PV developments on the local air temperature and humidity was studied based on long-term, multi-point field observation data. The results showed that the overall daytime air temperature in the PV power plant had changed slightly (increased and decreased), while the night-time temperature dropped significantly. Specifically, in spring and summer, the daytime temperature increased slightly, with a maximum increase of 0.34 °C; in autumn and winter, the daytime temperature decreased slightly, with a maximum decrease of 0.26 °C; in all seasons, the night-time temperature decreased, with a maximum decrease of 1.82 °C during the winter night. The relative humidity in the PV power plant generally increased; except for a slight decrease in summer, the daytime and night-time relative humidity in spring, autumn, and winter always increased. The humidification in winter was the most significant, with increases of 5.00% and 4.76% for the transition and reference areas, respectively. The diurnal air temperature and relative humidity ranges in the PV power plant were greater than those outside the PV power plant. The results obtained in this field observation study could serve as a basis for quantitative evaluation of the microclimate effects of large-scale PV development in deserts and provide technical support for guiding the future planning and development of the PV industry.

Characteristic Analysis of Water Quality Variation and Fish Impact Study of Fish-Lighting Complementary Photovoltaic Power Station

“…Wu et al analyzed the temperature and humidity changes inside and outside the photovoltaic power plant under the Qinghai Gonghe desert. The results showed that the temperature change was small in the photovoltaic power plant during the day, and the temperature dropped sharply in the photovoltaic power plant at night; the relative humidity also increased in the station [8]. Armstrong et al [9] studied the difference in microclimate between the area under the photovoltaic array, the gap area, and the control area on a grassland with a solar array installed in the United Kingdom.…”

Dune movement under climatic changes on the north‐eastern Tibetan Plateau as recorded by long‐term satellite observation versus ERA‐5 reanalysis

“…Furthermore, it has been observed, that the construction and recent enlargement of the Gonghe Photovoltaic Power Plant have impacted the local climate, for instance, an increase in daytime temperatures and the nearby humidity, resulting in conditions favourable for vegetation build-up (Wu et al, 2020). This can result in a raised viscosity of sand grains to being less easily entrained by wind, potentially reducing the frequency of sandstorms (Wu et al, 2020). In addition, impacts of human infrastructure on former dune fields can be observed, when comparing satellite images prior to the construction of the Longyangxia reservoir in 1992 with images after.…”

“…Human influence is an important additional factor influencing dune morphology and dune migration. The GB was and is subject to major human influence on the dune landscape (Qi et al, 2021; Wu et al, 2020). The rising temperatures and precipitation have resulted in an increase of grassland converted to agriculture (Wang et al, 2018) and irrigated land (Yongnian et al, 2003).…”

Towards a standardized protocol to assess natural capital and ecosystem services in solar parks

“…SP construction can also alter the aesthetic and ecological value of the land to affect human well‐being (Torres‐Sibille et al, 2009) and impact religious and cultural services for resident indigenous peoples (Grodsky & Hernandez, 2020; Mulvaney, 2017). After construction, the operation of SPs in dry climates can result in reduced albedo (Broadbent et al, 2019; Yang et al, 2017) and an increase in day‐ and night‐time temperatures (Barron‐Gafford et al, 2016; Wu et al, 2020), with implications for climate regulation in often heat‐stressed desert environments. Moreover, declines in photosynthetically active radiation under PV panels (Barron‐Gafford et al, 2019; Liu et al, 2019; Tanner et al, 2020) can modify plant community composition (Tanner et al, 2014) and promote invasive species (Tanner et al, 2020).…”

“…Construction management practices informed by local hydrological and ecological inventories can protect ephemeral stream channels to preserve riparian habitats for desert wildlife (Grippo et al, 2015) and provide nesting or foraging opportunities for bird species (Rudman et al, 2017). During operation, PV panels can mitigate high soil temperatures (Barron‐Gafford et al, 2019; Tanner et al, 2020; Wu et al, 2020) and reduce soil evaporation (Liu et al, 2019). In hot arid regions, these changes can result in increased soil moisture and lead to greater diversity of wild plants (Tanner et al, 2020) and higher rates of seed bank survival (Hernandez et al, 2020), as well as enhance crop water use efficiency and total fruit production in agrivoltaic systems (Barron‐Gafford et al, 2019).…”