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Impacts of Large-Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover

Lu, Zhengyao LU ; Zhang, Qiong ; Miller, Paul A. LU ; Zhang, Qiang ; Berntell, Ellen and Smith, Benjamin LU (2021) In Geophysical Research Letters 48(2).
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... (More)

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.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Geophysical Research Letters
volume
48
issue
2
article number
e2020GL090789
publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85099883604
ISSN
0094-8276
DOI
10.1029/2020GL090789
project
MERGE SP: Large-scale solar farms in the Sahara Desert and their impacts on climate and terrestrial ecosystem
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ae5e84dd-a0a2-4d73-860c-aec556f7c99c
date added to LUP
2021-02-05 14:19:44
date last changed
2022-04-27 00:06:34
@article{ae5e84dd-a0a2-4d73-860c-aec556f7c99c,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lu, Zhengyao and Zhang, Qiong and Miller, Paul A. and Zhang, Qiang and Berntell, Ellen and Smith, Benjamin}},
  issn         = {{0094-8276}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{American Geophysical Union (AGU)}},
  series       = {{Geophysical Research Letters}},
  title        = {{Impacts of Large-Scale Sahara Solar Farms on Global Climate and Vegetation Cover}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090789}},
  doi          = {{10.1029/2020GL090789}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}