Researchers in China found that PV plants in arid regions create a measurable cool island effect that varies strongly with season, location, and plant design, influencing surrounding vegetation in complex and spatially uneven ways. They showed that cooling intensity and distance differ widely across sites, are driven mainly by plant morphology,
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Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have investigated the photovoltaic plant–induced cool island effect (CIE) in arid regions and found that it significantly influences surrounding vegetation, with the direction and magnitude of its impact governed by geographical context and seasonal factors..
CIE refers to a condition in which a specific area is cooler than its surroundings due to differences in surface properties and energy balance. In PV plants, this may occur due to panel shading, reduced ground-level solar absorption, conversion of sunlight into electricity, and enhanced convective heat dissipation.
“We analyzed eight PV plants in the arid regions of China using Landsat-8 land surface temperature, kernel normalized difference vegetation index, buffer analysis, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM),” the group explained. “Eight PV power plants were selected for this study, which are located in the arid regions of China, specifically in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Qinghai.”
The scientists used land surface temperature (LST) data from 2022, derived from seasonal imagery captured by the Landsat 8. These LST datasets were used to quantify the photovoltaic (PV) plant–induced cool island effect through two key metrics: cooling intensity (XD), defined as the temperature difference between the PV plant area and its surrounding environment, and cooling distance (Dist), which describes how far the cooling influence extends outward from the installation.
In addition, the same remote sensing data were used to calculate vegetation indices, particularly kernel-normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI), to evaluate vegetation responses both within the cooled zone and in adjacent areas beyond its influence. This allowed the researchers to assess not only the spatial extent of the cooling effect but also its ecological impact on plant growth dynamics across different zones.
The results showed that the cooling intensity (XD) reached its highest value of 3.1 C in summer in Wuzhong City (WZ), while the lowest value of 0.02 C was observed in autumn at Hongshagang Town, Minqin County, Gansu Province (HSG). In addition, the cool island effect (CIE) was not present in certain seasons at several sites, including Urad Banner (WLTQ) in spring, Huanghuatan Town (HHT) in autumn, and Hami (HM) in winter.
Moreover, the results indicated that summer generally exhibited elevated XD values, including 2.1 C at Dalad Banner (DLT) and a peak of 3.1 C at Wuzhong City. In contrast, winter conditions showed greater spatial variability: Gonghe County (GH) recorded a relatively high XD of 2.6 C, whereas Huanghuatan Town and Dalad Banner remained considerably lower, at 0.31 C and 0.9 C, respectively.
Across all eight study locations, the cooling distance was found to vary substantially, ranging from 120 m to 540 m, highlighting strong site-specific differences in the spatial extent of the cool island effect.
Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) further revealed that morphological complexity is the dominant driver of the cooling effect, while larger photovoltaic plant size exerts a strong suppressing influence. Climatic conditions were also found to contribute positively, albeit to a lesser extent. Collectively, these factors explained approximately 63% of the observed variation in cooling intensity and extent.
The analysis additionally suggested that vegetation responses are highly heterogeneous across sites and seasons, depending on both local climatic conditions and the strength of the cooling effect.
“We proposed a geographically differentiated ‘PV CIE–vegetation response’ framework. Medium-scale, decentralized plants with superior shape complexity are preferable in relatively dry and warm regions,” the academics concluded. “However, in cold, high-altitude areas, adjusting tilt and reducing panel density may mitigate vegetation risks.”
Their findings appeared in “Quantifying photovoltaic power plant–induced cool island effect and vegetation response in arid regions,” published in Ecological Indicators. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China’s Huadian Gansu Energy Corporation, PowerChina Beijing Engineering Corporation, and the United Kingdom’s University of Reading have contributed to the study.
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