Could large solar farms in the Sahara Desert redistribute solar power?

Large solar farms in the Sahara Desert could redistribute solar power generation potential locally as well as globally through disturbance of large-scale atmospheric teleconnections, according to simulations with an Earth system model.

Can a desert solar park power a transcontinental power network?

In China, the Tengger Desert Solar Park with a solar generation capacity of 1.5 GW and an area of 43 square kilometers could power over 1,800,000 people (13). In this research, we conceptualize a desert PV-based power network for transcontinental power interconnection.

Are solar panels used in desert areas worldwide?

We assume that solar panels are laid in desert areas worldwide with 20% land utilization and 15% photovoltaic conversion efficiency (14) and calculate the annual power generation under different cleaning frequencies for each desert solar farm.

Are desert areas suitable for building photovoltaic power stations?

As is shown in Fig. S1, most desert areas are suitable for building photovoltaic power stations when considering three factors: slope, distance from fresh water resources, and solar irradiation, especially deserts in Australia and Africa.

Could the Sahara be transformed into a solar farm?

In fact, around the world are all located in deserts or dry regions. it might be possible to transform the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, into a giant solar farm, capable of meeting the world’s current energy demand. Blueprints have been drawn up for projects in and that would supply electricity for millions of households in Europe.

What is the Gobi Desert solar park?

The 2.2 gigawatt facility spans an area of over 25 square kilometers in the Gobi desert. This $3 billion flagship project demonstrates the epic scale of renewable infrastructure developing worldwide. Traveling to the Tengger Desert Solar Park in northwestern China, rows upon rows of solar panels extend endlessly under the barren sky.