The promising future of developing large-scale PV solar farms in China: A three-stage framework for site selection

Xiao-Ya Li, Xin-Yu Dong, Sha Chen and Yan-Mei Ye

Renewable Energy, 2024, vol. 220, issue C

Abstract: Large-scale Photovoltaics (PV) play a pivotal role in climate change mitigation due to their cost-effective scaling potential of energy transition. Consequently, selecting locations for large-scale PV power plants has gained worldwide prominence in recent decades. Although massive studies have examined various siting criteria, land consolidation and cost-benefit feasibility issues are not often included due to the lack of a comprehensive and discretionary decision-making system. In this study, we introduced a three-stage framework combining DBSCAN clustering and cost-benefit analysis to identify the most efficient and cost-effective land parcels. The results indicate that while a total area of 425,191 km2 is considered developable for PV installation in China, only 23% of that area (128,588 km2) are consolidated land parcels which are suitable for developing large-scale PV power plants. Moreover, the potential of these consolidated land parcels (8,289,662 gWh/year) can supply about 90% of China's electricity demand. However, when considering the infrastructure investment per kWh, high-potential land parcels doubled the moderate-potential ones. These results emphasize the importance of large-scale PV plant siting as it impacts the efficiency of PV integration and the optimal land use. Hence, this methodology equips decision-makers with a practical and efficient tool for economically developing large-scale solar PV.

Keywords: Solar photovoltaic; Site selection; Potential estimation; Infrastructure investment; Carbon neutrality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:220:y:2024:i:c:s0960148123015537

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.119638

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