Improvement Effects of Solar Photovoltaic Facilities on Desert Environments: An Analysis Based on the Case of Bayannur, China

In the arid regions of northwestern China, severe desertification has been a persistent issue for many years. Among these areas, Bayannur City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region faces the compounded challenges of an extremely dry climate and land degradation, which have exerted serious impacts on both the local ecosystem and residents’ livelihoods. Under such circumstances, traditional sand-control measures alone have proven insufficient, calling for a more integrated and sustainable approach. In recent years, Bayannur City has introduced an innovative model of “solar photovoltaic power generation + ecological restoration,” which aims to achieve two objectives simultaneously: desert greening and renewable energy production. This paper examines the initiatives in the Ulan Buh Desert within Bayannur to explore how solar photovoltaic facilities contribute to the improvement of desert environments.