Desert solar power generation prospects

Do environmental challenges affect solar PV performance in desert regions?

This study has positively pinpointed the environmental challenges that can affect the performance of solar PV technologies in desert regions. The effect of dust (depositional rates, carbonates and mud content), humidity and solar radiation on the power efficiency of solar panels was observed.

How many MWh does Desert photovoltaic power use in 2021?

The global primary energy consumption is 1.76 × 10 11 MWh in 2021 (26), which also means that based on the current energy demand, the volume of desert photovoltaic power is able to supply the world with energy. The power supply of deserts in the Middle East, East Asia, Australia, and North America is ranked in sequence.

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.

Do desert solar farms produce solar power in four seasons?

For investigating diurnal and seasonal variations of solar radiation in deserts, a data set of high-resolution (3 h, 10 km) global surface solar radiation (1983 to 2018) (27) (Fig. S5) is used to differentiate the hour-by-hour power generation of desert solar farms in four seasons (Fig. S6).

Are deserts more vulnerable to solar panels?

The results reflect that deserts in the African region are more vulnerable to the impacts of the placement of PV panels and show the most drastic changes in radiative forcing, due to the shallower ground surface and intense solar radiation (32).

Can desert environments reduce solar energy production?

The potential sites for wind farm establishment were identified. In desert regions, several environmental challenges have the potential to reduce solar energy production. These are the formation of thinly crusted mud and/or carbonates coatings caused from deposited dust aerosols during humid conditions and other weather conditions.