Desert Solar Power Generation News Release

Is Desert Center a solar energy hub?

The area near Desert Center is rapidly becoming a solar energy hub. In addition to the three newly approved projects, three solar power generation plants are already in operation nearby; the 550MW Desert Sunlight, 214 MW Desert Harvest, and 500 MW Palen Solar. One other, the Easley Solar and Green Hydrogen Project, has recently been proposed.

Will China speed up wind and solar power generation in dry regions?

As China plans to speed up construction of solar and wind power generation facilities in dry regions amid efforts to boost renewable power, the government launched the first phase of its wind and solar power projects at the end of 2021, comprising a total of 100 gigawatts of wind and solar power capacity in desert areas.

How many kilowatts a year will a solar project generate?

The first phase of the solar and wind project, located in the Tengger Desert in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region — with an installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts — is expected to generate 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours each year, equivalent to the power demand of 1.5 million households, said the company.

Could China's desert base be the world's cheapest source of power?

The first batch of projects focuses on China's deserts, capitalizing on vast, sparsely populated areas with abundant sunshine and consistent winds. These factors, combined with low land costs, position the desert bases as potentially the world's cheapest sources of power.