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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
XINING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — For generations, the Talatan Desert in northwest China's Qinghai Province has suffered from severe sandstorms, droughts, and sparse vegetation, turning local herders' lives into a constant struggle to cope with the harsh environment.
Today, Talatan, located in Gonghe County of the Hainan Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, is undergoing remarkable transformation. The plateau is dotted with vast arrays of deep-blue solar panels, harnessing the abundant sunlight to generate clean electricity. Pasture grass grows in their shade, and sheep graze and frolic freely, transforming the landscape into a vibrant savannah.
Local 49-year-old herder Yedor has witnessed these changes. He now herds his flock on a motorcycle.
"Our village relies primarily on livestock farming; many families raise sheep. Previously, the pastures weren't rich enough for vegetation, and herders had to drive their herds farther afield in search of food," recalls Yedor.
Decades of drought and overgrazing turned Talatan into a nearly endless desert. The turning point came in 2012. Taking advantage of abundant solar resources and the vast, flat terrain, the local government began constructing solar power plants. Today, the photovoltaic park, covering over 300 square kilometers, is managed by over 60 companies, becoming one of China's leading centers for solar energy production.
Unexpectedly, the dense arrays of panels became a barrier to wind and sand. Their shade created a cooler microclimate and reduced moisture evaporation, while periodic cleaning allowed water to drain into the soil, further nourishing the soil. These conditions proved ideal for grass growth. As the vegetation recovered, soil moisture improved so much that grass began to reclaim space from the desert.
“In some areas, the grass has grown more than a meter, covering the panels and reducing their effectiveness,” said Cao Jun, an employee of the local industrial park’s design department.
Faced with this problem, companies turned to livestock farmers. An agreement was reached allowing sheep to graze under the panels, a natural solution that avoided costly methods. In remote areas, livestock farmers also harvest grass for winter feed.
"It's a win-win solution. Livestock farmers receive additional income, and companies save on weeding costs," said Cao Jun.
Technicians also adjusted the layout of the panels, increasing the distance between the panels from 3 to 5 meters and raising the mounting height from 50 cm to 1.5-1.8 meters, allowing the sheep to move freely.
Once all projects at the 609-square-kilometer photovoltaic park in Hainan County are completed, the grassland area will reach 450 square kilometers, producing approximately 110,000 tons of grass annually. The power plant will also create jobs for local residents.
Technology is improving pasture and livestock management. Some stations use infrared drones and monitoring systems to track herds. Furthermore, some pastures are equipping sheep with digital IDs in the form of QR codes, storing information about age, vaccination status, and ownership for tracking and management.
Every year from June to October, livestock breeders can graze their sheep in the park for free. Under the agreement, nearly 100,000 mu (approximately 66 square kilometers) of private pastureland are now available to local livestock breeders.
The district's solar park has created 32 photovoltaic eco-pastures and 56 centralized grazing plots, supporting 18 surrounding villages raising over 20,000 sheep annually. As raising sheep under panels gains popularity, local residents have created a "photovoltaic sheep" brand and now sell lamb nationwide through e-commerce platforms.
"Our family earns almost 100,000 yuan (about $14,000) a year from sheep farming," says Yedor. "My flock has grown from 200 to over 300, and the sheep are very well-fed. Life has become much better."
A model combining photovoltaic generation and livestock farming, pioneered in Talatan, offers a new approach to combating desertification and developing green energy.
In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province (Northwest China), similar initiatives are using solar energy to improve the microclimate, supporting agriculture and combating desertification in arid regions. In Yunnan Province (Southwest China) and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (North China), valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as licorice and milk vetch are grown under solar panels, providing local farmers with additional income.
As green energy develops in China, more industries and applications are creatively integrating with it, enabling more efficient use of resources and creating greater shared benefits, transforming once barren lands into greener and more prosperous landscapes. -0-
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