Effect of desert photovoltaic on sand prevention and control—taking Gansu Gulang Zhenfa photovoltaic DC field as an example

Abstract In recent years, the photovoltaic industry in desert and Gobi has developed rapidly. In order to reveal the effect of photovoltaic industry on sand prevention and control, this study was performed by taking GuLang Zhenfa photovoltaic DC field on the southern edge of Tengger Desert as an example. Through continuous observation of air temperature, wind speed and air pressure inside and outside the photovoltaic field, combined with the investigation of vegetation inside and outside the photovoltaic field in desert and Gobi of the central and eastern part of Hexi Corridor, this study analyzed the ecological effect of photovoltaic industry on sand prevention and control from three aspects: the balance of surface heat by the transformation of solar radiation of desert photovoltaic, the function of wind barriers and sand barriers of the photovoltaic DC field, and the effect of the photovoltaic DC field on vegetation. The results showed that the photovoltaic DC field in desert and Gobi had very significant ecological functions for desert prevention and control, and the ecological functions were mainly as follows: 1) the photovoltaic DC field could effectively transform solar radiation, adjust the thermal balance of the desert, and weaken the power (i.e., the gale) for the occurrence and development of sandstorms and sand flow; 2) the photovoltaic panel had a strong function of wind barriers, and its function of wind-proof and sand-fixing were several times that of sand barriers; 3) the rain-collecting effect of photovoltaic panel could promote the growth of plants. The development of photovoltaic industry in desert and Gobi not only has remarkable economic benefits, but also has the ecological function of sand prevention and control. China has a vast area of desert and Gobi, and there are broad prospects for the development of desert and Gobi photovoltaic industry. The photovoltaic industry in desert and Gobi is expected to become the third new way of sand prevention and control after afforestation and desertification control and sand fixation by sand barriers.