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China is building the world's largest photovoltaic project with a capacity of 100 GW
24. 1. 2025
At the end of last year, Chinese media officially presented a new solar project called the "Solar Great Wall." Its goal is to build a gigantic solar farm in the form of a massive wall while simultaneously preventing the expansion of the vast Kubuqi Desert in northwestern China.
Record-breaking performance
The "Solar Great Wall" project, or the Great Solar Wall, will consist of millions of solar panels. Once completed, this installation will have a capacity of around 100 GW. By 2030, the electricity produced is expected to power the entirety of Beijing, home to approximately 22 million people.
The Great Solar Wall will stretch approximately 400 kilometers along the Yellow River in northern China, specifically in the Kubuqi Desert region in Inner Mongolia. The wall will be 5 kilometers wide.
The annual electricity production forecast for this project is 180 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), significantly exceeding the current electricity consumption of China's capital, Beijing, which is approximately 135.8 billion kWh a year.
Unique project
The "Solar Great Wall" project will not only involve the construction of an enormous solar power plant but also the establishment of a new ultra-high voltage transmission network, connecting the solar farm with urban centers in the Beijing region and surrounding areas. This should ensure a steady supply of clean energy to some of the most densely populated areas in China.
As of now, solar panels with a capacity of 5.42 GW have been installed as part of the "Solar Great Wall" project. The complete project is slated for completion by 2030.
Another goal of the project is combating the advancing desertification of the landscape. Based on previous experiences with solar farms, it is anticipated that the solar panels will reduce ground-level winds, which move sand, and also shade the surface, making it easier for plants to take root.
The project is thus expected to contribute to greening the landscape and halting the further expansion of the Kubuqi Desert. To address these challenges, the project will employ "agrivoltaics," allowing crops to be grown beneath the panels, which supports biodiversity and increases soil productivity.
China is currently also the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, they emitted 10.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide. A large solar wall is expected to significantly reduce the amount of emissions.
Record-breaking performance
The "Solar Great Wall" project, or the Great Solar Wall, will consist of millions of solar panels. Once completed, this installation will have a capacity of around 100 GW. By 2030, the electricity produced is expected to power the entirety of Beijing, home to approximately 22 million people.
The Great Solar Wall will stretch approximately 400 kilometers along the Yellow River in northern China, specifically in the Kubuqi Desert region in Inner Mongolia. The wall will be 5 kilometers wide.
The annual electricity production forecast for this project is 180 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), significantly exceeding the current electricity consumption of China's capital, Beijing, which is approximately 135.8 billion kWh a year.
Unique project
The "Solar Great Wall" project will not only involve the construction of an enormous solar power plant but also the establishment of a new ultra-high voltage transmission network, connecting the solar farm with urban centers in the Beijing region and surrounding areas. This should ensure a steady supply of clean energy to some of the most densely populated areas in China.
As of now, solar panels with a capacity of 5.42 GW have been installed as part of the "Solar Great Wall" project. The complete project is slated for completion by 2030.
Another goal of the project is combating the advancing desertification of the landscape. Based on previous experiences with solar farms, it is anticipated that the solar panels will reduce ground-level winds, which move sand, and also shade the surface, making it easier for plants to take root.
The project is thus expected to contribute to greening the landscape and halting the further expansion of the Kubuqi Desert. To address these challenges, the project will employ "agrivoltaics," allowing crops to be grown beneath the panels, which supports biodiversity and increases soil productivity.
China is currently also the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, they emitted 10.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide. A large solar wall is expected to significantly reduce the amount of emissions.