Solar power plants not only produce clean energy but also help cities breathe more freely. Chinese scientists have calculated that operating solar farms in the Gobi Desert reduce spring dust emissions by about 352,000 tonnes a month.
The reason is that the panels slow winds near the ground, help stabilize the soil and support vegetation growth. They also alter local air currents, reducing the amount of dust carried hundreds of kilometers by the wind.
There are currently 42 solar farms in the Gobi, covering a total area of more than 13,000 square kilometers. If the area were expanded to 140,000 square kilometers, dust transport to neighboring regions could fall by 21%, while dust concentrations in the air over northern China could decrease by 14%.
