Resolving land use conflicts in developing photovoltaic

Abstract

China is implementing ambitious solar energy development plans, with the goal of exceeding 2200–2800 GW by 2030. However, the development of solar energy necessitates substantial land use. An estimated 64,900 km² of land would be required, posing significant challenges, particularly in balancing energy production with environmental and agricultural priorities. Without a commitment to sustainable land management, the broader goal of sustainable development in renewable energy cannot be achieved. Our findings highlight the need for policies that ensure photovoltaic developments are compatible with environmental conservation and land preservation.

The deployment of solar energy plays an irreplaceable role in achieving the ambitious goals of carbon neutrality. Since 2017, China has initiated a rapid expansion in the capacity of solar energy installations (Yang et al., 2024; Zhang et al., 2021), with a cumulative installed capacity of 609 GW till 2023 (National Energy Administration, 2023). This proportion continues to increase, with an outlook to reach 2200–2800 GW by 2030 (Mao et al., 2023). However, the development of solar energy necessitates substantial land use. Assuming a high power density of 30 MW km⁻² for solar photovoltaic installations in China, an estimated 64,900 km² of land would be required, which is an area comparable to that of Georgia (He and Kammen, 2016). Securing sufficient land for solar installations poses significant challenges.

To mitigate the issue of land scarcity, China has experimented with deploying photovoltaic installations in deserts, on abandoned coal mines, in inland and coastal waters, and on agricultural land (Li et al., 2024). However, installations in abandoned coal mines and water bodies face unstable foundations, leading to elevated operational and management costs (Lin et al., 2023). Although the desert regions of Northwest China offer abundant land and solar resources, their distance from high-demand cities on the Southeast coast results in inefficiencies in long-distance energy transmission, with power losses of 3.5% or more occurring in ultrahigh-voltage transmission lines (Sherman et al., 2020; Yang and Xia, 2022). Installing photovoltaic systems on agricultural land could negatively affect mechanized farming and harvesting, thereby risking food security, a concern governments have consistently pledged to protect (Xu et al., 2024). Despite policies that explicitly prohibit occupying arable land, land scarcity continues to provoke frequent incidents of illegal land encroachment (Li et al., 2023b). Without a commitment to resolve land use conflicts, the broader goal of sustainable development in renewable energy cannot be achieved.

To support the development of the photovoltaic power generation industry, the Chinese central government has issued regulations to standardize land management. Additionally, new opportunities for techno-ecological synergies and advancements in technologies, such as thin-film solar, are being explored to improve land utilization (Li et al., 2023a). However, until these technologies become economically viable and capable of large-scale deployment, maximizing the use of abandoned cropland remains a primary focus. Moreover, constructing trans-regional high-capacity transmission channels and flexible grids in desert regions is crucial. This strategic approach not only optimizes land unsuitable for agriculture but also enhances the grid’s ability to manage power fluctuations, thereby facilitating smoother energy integration. Once these measures are fully implemented, the land shortage challenges associated with solar energy development in China will be significantly alleviated.