Photos: The Scale of China’s Solar-Power Projects – The Atlantic

Report on China’s Solar Energy Expansion and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report analyzes China’s significant investment and large-scale implementation of solar energy projects, as documented between 2021 and 2025. The initiatives demonstrate a substantial commitment to advancing multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of clean energy, climate action, innovation, and sustainable land use.

Alignment with Core Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy & SDG 13: Climate Action

China’s massive buildout of solar infrastructure is a direct contribution to achieving SDG 7 and SDG 13. By developing vast solar farms in desert regions and integrating panels into diverse environments, the nation is increasing the share of renewable energy in its national grid. This transition is critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking urgent action to combat climate change.

• Massive renewable energy generation projects, such as the 1-million-kilowatt photovoltaic project in Lingwu and the 450,000-kilowatt integrated project in Xinjiang, exemplify this commitment.
• The development of solar thermal plants with energy storage, like the 50-megawatt molten salt system in Qinghai, addresses the need for reliable, 24-hour clean energy.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The projects showcase significant innovation in building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. China is deploying advanced technologies and pioneering new methods for energy generation and land use.

1. Urban and Industrial Integration: Solar panels are being integrated directly into urban infrastructure, such as the 7,540 photovoltaic modules installed on the roof of the Hangzhou West Railway Station.
2. Floating Solar Farms: Innovative floating photovoltaic projects are being constructed on reservoirs and lakes in regions like Qingdao and Yinchuan, optimizing space and potentially reducing water evaporation, which aligns with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
3. Advanced Construction Techniques: The use of drones to install solar panels on steep hillsides in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, demonstrates innovation in construction, improving safety and efficiency.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The expansion of the solar industry fosters economic growth and creates employment opportunities. The entire value chain, from manufacturing to installation and maintenance, supports jobs and promotes sustainable economic activity.

• Workshops in provinces like Jiangsu are actively producing solar panels, employing a dedicated workforce.
• Large-scale construction projects, such as the ground-leveling operations in the Kubuqi Desert, require significant labor for both preparatory work and panel installation.
• Skilled workers are needed for ongoing operations, including module inspections as seen in Yinchuan.

Integrated Approaches for Holistic Sustainability

SDG 2: Zero Hunger & SDG 15: Life on Land

China is implementing agrivoltaic systems, which combine agriculture and solar power generation on the same land. This dual-use approach addresses food security while promoting sustainable energy and land management.

• Co-location of Farming and Energy: Projects include growing herbs beneath solar panels in Jiangsu and raising cattle in pens under solar arrays in Anhui province.
• Sustainable Land Use: Vast solar farms are being built in the Gobi and Kubuqi deserts, utilizing arid land with minimal agricultural value. Furthermore, projects are rehabilitating degraded land, such as installing floating solar farms on land that subsided due to coal mining in Anhui.
• Harmony with Nature: The placement of solar installations in proximity to nature reserves, as seen with the Père David’s deer in Jiangsu, suggests efforts to balance energy development with the protection of biodiversity (SDG 15).

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The push for solar energy extends to the community level, empowering residential areas with clean energy and contributing to the development of sustainable cities.

• Rooftop photovoltaic panels are being widely adopted on residential buildings in communities like Yuanlong Village in Yinchuan, decentralizing energy production and reducing household carbon footprints.

Conclusion

China’s extensive and multifaceted solar energy program represents a comprehensive strategy that directly supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through technological innovation, strategic land use, and integration across various sectors including agriculture and urban planning, these initiatives provide a powerful model for transitioning to a sustainable, low-carbon future. The projects contribute significantly to providing affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), combating climate change (SDG 13), fostering innovation (SDG 9), promoting sustainable economic growth (SDG 8), and supporting sustainable communities and ecosystems (SDG 2, 11, 15).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article, through its photographic depiction of China’s solar power expansion, addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus is on clean energy, but the images and captions also touch upon infrastructure, economic growth, sustainable cities, climate action, and innovative land use.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  This is the most central SDG in the article. The entire photo essay showcases a massive buildout of solar energy infrastructure, a key form of clean and renewable energy. The scale of the projects, from vast desert farms to rooftop installations, points to a national effort to increase access to clean energy.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article is replete with examples of new, sustainable infrastructure. It features large-scale solar power stations, innovative floating solar farms, and advanced solar thermal plants with energy storage systems. The use of drones for installation on steep hillsides highlights technological innovation in the industry.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  By showcasing the transition to renewable energy, the article directly relates to climate action. The caption mentioning China’s push for a “massive renewable buildout” to reduce reliance on fossil fuels is a direct measure to combat climate change and its impacts.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  Several images depict workers engaged in the manufacturing, construction, and maintenance of solar facilities. This illustrates the creation of jobs in the green economy, contributing to economic growth.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article shows the integration of renewable energy into urban and residential environments. Photos of photovoltaic panels on the roofs of residential buildings in Yuanlong Village and on the Hangzhou West Railway Station are direct examples of making cities and human settlements more sustainable.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The article touches upon this goal through the concept of “agrivoltaics.” Images of workers tending to herbs and cattle being kept in pens beneath solar panels demonstrate an innovative approach to land use that combines food production with energy generation, contributing to sustainable agriculture.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This goal is relevant in two ways. First, the article shows the repurposing of degraded land, such as an aquatic farm built on land that subsided after coal mining. Second, it highlights the significant land transformation required for large-scale solar farms, such as bulldozers leveling the Kubuqi Desert, which raises questions about ecosystem impact. An image of deer near a solar installation in a nature reserve also connects energy projects with wildlife habitats.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.2: “By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” The article is a visual testament to this target, with one caption stating, “China is set to see another year of record solar installation as the nation pushes for a massive renewable buildout.”

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.1: “Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being.” The construction of numerous large-scale projects like the “1-million-kilowatt solar-thermal energy-generation and storage project” and the “Dalat Photovoltaic Power Generation, a 500-megawatt solar-power project” directly supports this target.
   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies…” The entire article showcases the adoption of clean solar technology, from manufacturing to large-scale industrial application.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” The “massive renewable buildout” mentioned in the article is evidence of a national strategy to integrate climate-friendly energy solutions into its development plans.

4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: “Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation…” The images of “Employees work on solar panels on a production line” and the use of “Drones lift and place solar panels along steep hillsides” show a growing, technologically advancing industry creating employment.

5. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities…” The installation of “7,540 photovoltaic modules arranged on the roof of Hangzhou West Railway Station” and panels on “residential buildings with roof-mounted photovoltaic-solar panels” are examples of reducing the environmental footprint of urban areas.

6. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.4: “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices…” The depiction of “agrivoltaic” farms, where “Cattle are kept in pens beneath solar-panel arrays” and “Workers tend to herbs grown beneath solar panels,” illustrates such innovative and sustainable practices.

7. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.3: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil…” The image of “Floating solar panels stretch across an aquatic farm built on land that subsided after extensive coal mining” is a direct example of restoring and productively using degraded land.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not cite official SDG indicator codes, it provides substantial quantitative and qualitative data in the photo captions that can serve as implied indicators for measuring progress.

1. For Target 7.2 (Increase renewable energy share):

   • Implied Indicator: Installed renewable energy capacity. The article explicitly quantifies this for several projects, such as the “50-megawatt energy-storage project,” the “500-megawatt solar-power project,” the “1-million-kilowatt photovoltaic project,” and the “450,000-kilowatt integrated solar, thermal, and storage project.”

2. For Target 9.1 (Develop sustainable infrastructure):

   • Implied Indicator: Number and scale of new sustainable infrastructure projects. The article provides numerous examples, including the “CGN Delingha Solar Thermal Plant,” the “Hangzhou West Railway Station” with its 7,540 modules, and various photovoltaic power stations across different provinces.

3. For Target 8.2 (Promote economic productivity and jobs):

   • Implied Indicator: Employment in the renewable energy sector. The photos of “Employees work on solar panels on a production line,” “Workers carry out a photovoltaic-module inspection,” and construction workers installing panels serve as qualitative evidence of job creation in manufacturing, construction, and maintenance.

4. For Target 2.4 / 15.3 (Sustainable land use and restoration):

   • Implied Indicator: Area of land under integrated (agrivoltaic) use or area of degraded land repurposed for renewable energy. The article provides specific examples like the “agrivoltaic farm in Mengcheng County” and the floating solar farm on “land that subsided after extensive coal mining,” which can be measured to track progress.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theatlantic.com