This massive plant’s 6 million panels alone account for 1% of the globe’s solar photovoltaic capacity. Developed by the state-owned China Power Investment Corporation, the mammoth facility can generate 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours annually, enough to avoid 2 million tons of carbon emissions.
Aside from the economic benefit, solar PV power generation is also one of the top 10 targeted poverty alleviation projects in China.
The photovoltaic park covers 609 square km, nearly the size of Singapore, and can produce more than 19 million kilowatts. A vast expanse of solar panels shadows the surface of a semi-desert in Northwest China's Qinghai province, turning it into a photovoltaic park. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
So far, 12 "photovoltaic sheep farms" have been built in Hainan prefecture. In 2023 alone, these farms sold 13,000 "photovoltaic sheep," bringing herdsmen a total income of 11 million yuan, according to the department of publicity of the prefectural government.
Today, covering an area of 609 square kilometers, this solar power base boasts a power generation capacity of 8,430 megawatts, making it the largest in the world, according to Qeyang, deputy director of the administration committee of the Hainan prefectural green energy industry park.
According to staff from the solar park, apart from electricity generation, due to the need to maintain the PV panels, weeding, sprouts, pruning, fertilizing, and picking of goji berries, about 80,000 people are employed in the area.