[International Energy Network Live Report] The side event titled “Planning and Ecological Design of Solar PV Power Stations in Desert Areas” side event was held at the China Pavilion of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh On the morning of December 10th.
Ai Jincai, Chairman of Longyuan Ningxia Company, was invited to attend and delivered a keynote speech entitled “Photovoltaic Sand Control Design and Ecological Benefits of the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base”.
Ai Jincai, Chairman of Longyuan Ningxia Company
Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base, photovoltaic sand control and ecological collaborative innovation demonstration Base
According to Ai Jincai, Longyuan Power Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base is in Shapotou District, Zhongwei, Ningxia, is the largest new energy base in desert, gobi and wasteland in China, and it is also the first project in the national 10 million kilowatt base to be registered, built and put into operation in desert, gobi and wasteland.
The project is implemented by the China Energy Group, and the first phase of the 1 million kilowatt photovoltaic project is developed, constructed and operated by Longyuan Power Ningxia Company, which is started in September 2022 and connected to the grid in April 2023.
The Ningxia Tengger Desert was “no birds in the sky, no grass on the ground, no good soil, and only the howling of the wind” in the past. After the Tengger Desert New Energy Base was connected to the grid, it not only provides 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity each year, but also fixes 84,000 acres of sand, becoming a demonstration base project integrating ecological protection, scientific and technological innovation, popular science education, and tourism culture in Zhongwei City, Ningxia.
The Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base has accumulated rich experience in sand control
Ai Jincai said that Longyuan Ningxia Company has accumulated rich experience in sand control through the construction of the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base.
He gave an example to illustrate that the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base has 24 fixed monitoring plots for long-term observation and comparative tests. Through the team’s careful management and construction year after year, a set of comprehensive protection technologies for sand blocking, sand prevention, sand fixation and sand use has been formed, providing theoretical support, technical guidance and model demonstration for the construction of photovoltaic power stations and ecological restoration in desert areas.
In addition, the main characteristics of deserts, Gobi and wastelands are strong light and little precipitation, and plants are usually difficult to survive in the desert. In order to better control and use sand, Longyuan Ningxia Company has also actively carried out planting experiments to explore more plants suitable for desert growth.
Now, a 1.2 meter to 1.8 meter high vertical sand barrier is built around the photovoltaic array of the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base to form a sand-gathering embankment to reduce wind and sand flow. Semi-hidden grass grids are tied under the photovoltaic panels, and 42 tons of sand-dwelling plant seeds such as Artemisia ordosica, Artemisia sphaerocephala, Artemisia sphaerocephala, Kochia scoparia, and Mongolian ice grass are sown. Shrubs such as Salix psammophila and Tamarix tamarisk are also planted to effectively fix sand. The Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base has achieved the ecological effect of comprehensive management of “on-board power generation, inter-board planting, and under-board restoration”. These achievements are the result of long-term observation, research and practice of Longyuan Ningxia Company.
Longyuan Group is willing to share the photovoltaic + ecological model with the world
Ai Jincai reiterated that the photovoltaic + ecological governance model of the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base is not only great significant, but also replicable for global land degradation.
He further pointed out that today’s Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base not only plays the role of Zhongwei City’s photovoltaic ecological synergy base, but Longyuan Ningxia Company will use this power station to conduct various research on desert photovoltaic power stations and ecological related issues. With the support of the government, Longyuan Ningxia Company is carrying out various technical demonstrations, management innovations and other research.
Longyuan Ningxia Company intends to build the Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base into a global photovoltaic + ecological innovation highland, so it needs wisdom from all over the world. Ai Jincai looks forward to global experts participating in the scientific research work of the Zhongwei Photovoltaic Ecological Synergy Demonstration Base.
June 17 next year will be the 31st United Nations Day to Combat Desertification. The Tengger Desert Photovoltaic Base will serve as a visiting base for the United Nations Day to Combat Desertification held in Zhongwei City. Longyuan Ningxia Company is also willing to take this opportunity to share the photovoltaic plus ecological model with countries around the world.
Finally, Ai Jincai said that Longyuan Group has a considerable scale of photovoltaic power stations built in the desert. Longyuan Power is promoting cooperation with governments and enterprises of various countries to actively develop overseas new energy projects, especially using the experience and achievements of Ningxia Tengger Photovoltaic Power Station to increase the development of wind power and photovoltaic projects in the desert areas of Saudi Arabia, South Africa and other places to create more new energy landmark projects and promote global energy transformation.
Longyuan Ningxia Company is willing to contribute green electricity to the people in arid areas with the photovoltaic + ecological model, and at the same time contribute to zero growth of global land degradation.
