Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover
Abstract Large‐scale photovoltaic solar farms envisioned over the Sahara desert can meet the world's energy demand while increasing regional rainfall and vegetation cover. However, adverse remote effects resulting from atmospheric teleconnections could offset such regional benefits. We use stat...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090789 |
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| author | Zhengyao Lu Qiong Zhang Paul A. Miller Qiang Zhang Ellen Berntell Benjamin Smith |
| author_facet | Zhengyao Lu Qiong Zhang Paul A. Miller Qiang Zhang Ellen Berntell Benjamin Smith |
| author_sort | Zhengyao Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Large‐scale photovoltaic solar farms envisioned over the Sahara desert can meet the world's energy demand while increasing regional rainfall and vegetation cover. However, adverse remote effects resulting from atmospheric teleconnections could offset such regional benefits. We use state‐of‐the‐art Earth‐system model simulations to evaluate the global impacts of Sahara solar farms. Our results indicate a redistribution of precipitation causing Amazon droughts and forest degradation, and global surface temperature rise and sea‐ice loss, particularly over the Arctic due to increased polarward heat transport, and northward expansion of deciduous forests in the Northern Hemisphere. We also identify reduced El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and Atlantic Niño variability and enhanced tropical cyclone activity. Comparison to proxy inferences for a wetter and greener Sahara ∼6,000 years ago appears to substantiate these results. Understanding these responses within the Earth system provides insights into the site selection concerning any massive deployment of solar energy in the world's deserts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2abb404afcea41a999e4d6a4620effb0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-2abb404afcea41a999e4d6a4620effb02025-08-20T03:07:24ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072021-01-01482n/an/a10.1029/2020GL090789Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation CoverZhengyao Lu0Qiong Zhang1Paul A. Miller2Qiang Zhang3Ellen Berntell4Benjamin Smith5Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research Stockholm University Stockholm SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund SwedenAbstract Large‐scale photovoltaic solar farms envisioned over the Sahara desert can meet the world's energy demand while increasing regional rainfall and vegetation cover. However, adverse remote effects resulting from atmospheric teleconnections could offset such regional benefits. We use state‐of‐the‐art Earth‐system model simulations to evaluate the global impacts of Sahara solar farms. Our results indicate a redistribution of precipitation causing Amazon droughts and forest degradation, and global surface temperature rise and sea‐ice loss, particularly over the Arctic due to increased polarward heat transport, and northward expansion of deciduous forests in the Northern Hemisphere. We also identify reduced El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and Atlantic Niño variability and enhanced tropical cyclone activity. Comparison to proxy inferences for a wetter and greener Sahara ∼6,000 years ago appears to substantiate these results. Understanding these responses within the Earth system provides insights into the site selection concerning any massive deployment of solar energy in the world's deserts.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090789 |
| spellingShingle | Zhengyao Lu Qiong Zhang Paul A. Miller Qiang Zhang Ellen Berntell Benjamin Smith Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover Geophysical Research Letters |
| title | Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover |
| title_full | Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover |
| title_short | Impacts of Large‐Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover |
| title_sort | impacts of large scale sahara solar farms on global climate and vegetation cover |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090789 |
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