Overview
Gonghe UPV 100 is a 100 MW solar PV facility located in Qinghai Province, China. The plant is operational and contributes to China's rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity.
Gonghe UPV 100 is a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in Gonghe County, Qinghai Province, China. With a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW), it is a medium-to-large scale solar installation that supports China's national renewable energy targets. The facility is operational and benefits from the region's high solar irradiance, typical of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The plant operates under China's renewable energy framework, which includes national feed-in tariffs and renewable portfolio standards aimed at achieving 20% non-fossil fuel energy by 2030. Solar PV technology in China has seen rapid cost reductions and deployment, with utility-scale plants like Gonghe UPV 100 playing a key role in the country's energy transition. The facility uses standard crystalline silicon panels mounted on fixed or tracking structures. Environmentally, the Gonghe UPV 100 contributes to reducing carbon emissions by displacing coal-fired power generation. The plant is situated in an arid region with low population density, minimizing land-use conflicts. Its output feeds into the regional grid, supporting local industrial and residential electricity demand while aligning with China's dual carbon goals of peaking emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
Environmental context
The Gonghe UPV 100 solar plant is located in the semi-arid Gonghe Basin of Qinghai Province, an area with high solar radiation and sparse vegetation. The facility's land use is compatible with the local environment, as solar arrays can be installed on degraded or low-productivity land. The region's dry climate reduces soiling on panels, enhancing efficiency. The plant supports biodiversity by avoiding habitat fragmentation typical of fossil fuel extraction, though careful siting is needed to avoid sensitive desert ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
Gonghe UPV 100 is located in Gonghe County, Qinghai Province, China, at coordinates 36.205 N, 100.580 E.
Gonghe UPV 100 has a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW), making it a medium-to-large scale solar photovoltaic facility.
The plant uses solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, likely with crystalline silicon panels, to convert sunlight into electricity.
China supports solar PV through feed-in tariffs and renewable portfolio standards under its 14th Five-Year Plan, aiming for 20% non-fossil energy by 2030. Gonghe UPV 100 contributes to these targets.
Solar PV plants have low operational emissions but require land. In arid regions like Gonghe, they can be sited on low-productivity land, reducing land-use conflicts. They help displace coal power, cutting greenhouse gas emissions.