China’s first desert-based solar and wind energy farm goes online

It can generate enough energy to power 1.5 million households a year.

The first of China’s wind and solar energy projects being built in the desert areas is now connected to the electricity grid and has begun generating power, media outlet ChinaDaily reported last week. China has been building green energy projects in the Gobi Desert and other arid regions in Central China at a cost of 85 billion yuan (US$12.28 billion).

With the planet needing to reduce carbon emissions, countries are now innovating in generating greener energy. Interesting Engineering reported earlier this year how Switzerland installed 5,000 solar panels on the highest dam in Europe. On its part, China is looking to convert the arid regions of its geography into power generation zones.

China’s green power plants in the Desert

China launched a grand plan to install solar and wind generation facilities with a total energy output of 100 GW to turn its power demand from one fueled by coal to one better for the environment. These energy generation facilities are located in the dry regions that cover 19 provinces of the country, and the first of these projects went online last week.

Located in the Tengger Desert in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the solar and wind generation plant has an installed capacity of one million kilowatts (One gigawatt). The plant is expected to generate 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of energy annually to power 1.5 million households.

Learn more: Interesting Engineering