China to Encourage Building of Solar Plants & Standardize Land Selection

Solar energy does not produce waste or contaminate water, which is critical considering the scarcity of water. Wind energy, unlike fossil fuels and nuclear power plants, has one of the lowest water-consumption footprints, making it critical for conserving hydrological resources.

According to the government, new or enlarged solar developments should not be developed on agriculture, grasslands, or protected forest territories.

The rapid growth of China's solar business has forced it to compete for land with other industries, particularly agriculture.

The statement from the government urged the construction of solar infrastructure in desert areas such as Inner Mongolia's Gobi.

The government announced plans last year to create 450 gigatonnes (GW) of solar and wind power producing capacity on the Gobi and other sparsely populated desert regions.

The Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park is situated in China's remote Qinghai province. With 2.2 GW of installed solar capacity, it is the country's largest solar installation.