Kubuqi desert photovoltaic power generation project shines in UN climate conference

The Kubuqi desert photovoltaic power generation project. [Photo/Nuan News]

The Inner Mongolian representatives to the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change shared the Kubuqi desert photovoltaic power generation project in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This conference is the largest-ever gathering on climate change. Participants from all sides have come together to discuss how to address the escalating climate crisis.

Representatives from Inner Mongolia shared their story of "planting the sun" in the desert to showcase their carbon reduction practices to the world.

They have successfully built a 100,000-mu photovoltaic power plant in the heart of the Kubuqi Desert, with a capacity of 2 million kW. On Dec 2, the plant was successfully connected to the grid and began generating electricity.

Sandstorms constantly plague the Kubuqi Desert, but it receives abundant sunlight. Combining solar resource utilization with desert control can enable a virtuous cycle of adjusting the structure and promoting development. However, implementing this idea posed significant challenges.

Construction in the desert initially faced difficulties such as a lack of roads, water, and electricity. The heavy machinery couldn't enter, so the workers had to level the sandy terrain and install the photovoltaic panels manually. Once installed, new challenges emerged.

The Kubuqi Desert is composed of shifting dunes, and without stabilizing the desert, the photovoltaic panels would be buried by sand in no time. Therefore, further sand fixation was achieved through the planting of crops.

He Pengfei, the project manager of Inner Mongolia Elion Kubuqi Photovoltaic Desert Control, explained: "Later, we gradually discovered medicinal plants like licorice, which not only helps control wind and fix sand but also brings economic benefits to compensate for the company's investment."

After six years of technological exploration, the enterprise has increased the height of the photovoltaic panels and their power generation capacity and improved the utilization rate from 40 percent to 80 percent.

On the other side of the Kubuqi Desert, another even larger photovoltaic project is under construction, with a total installed capacity of 16 million kW.