Tengger Desert “Solar + Sand Control” Base

The Ningxia Tengger “Shagehuang” (desert, Gobi and barren land) clean-energy base is China’s first large-scale renewable-energy base of this type to receive dual national approval, and a key supporting project for the Ningxia–Hunan ±800 kV UHVDC transmission line.sasac.gov+2

Located on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert in Zhongwei, the site operates under intense solar irradiance alongside harsh sandstorm and high-temperature conditions that typically cause PV plants to derate.

Key highlights

• Equipped with CRRC 320 kW string inverters featuring IP66 protection and self-cleaning duct technology, enabling full-load operation at 40°C without derating.

• Pioneering a “Solar + Sand Control” model that has restored over 65,000 mu of desert land, increasing vegetation coverage from 0–5% to 15–20%.

• Annual output of 3.96 billion kWh, saving 1.207 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing CO₂ emissions by 3.2938 million tonnes per year—enough to power around 3 million households in Hunan Province.

The project demonstrates a coordinated pathway for clean energy development and ecological restoration in arid regions.