5D TECH Joins Tarim Oilfield in Exploring a New Model of “Solar Power + Desert Restoration”

At the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, one of the world’s largest deserts, rows of neatly arranged photovoltaic (PV) arrays built by Tarim Oilfield now shine brightly under the intense desert sun. Beneath the solar panels, carefully constructed straw checkerboard barriers firmly stabilize moving sand dunes, while drought-resistant plants such as Apocynum venetum (Lop Nur hemp) sway in the wind and gradually take root.

A once barren desert area covering nearly 79,500 mu (approximately 5,300 hectares) has been transformed into a new landscape integrating clean energy development, ecological restoration, and sustainable land management.

For decades, the desert regions of southern Xinjiang have faced severe challenges from frequent sandstorms, fragile ecosystems, and difficult desertification control. While accelerating the construction of large-scale renewable energy bases in the “Desert, Gobi, and Barren Land” regions, Tarim Oilfield has pioneered an innovative approach by combining photovoltaic power generation with desert rehabilitation.

Through five operational medium- and large-scale PV power stations, Tarim Oilfield has explored the integration of solar energy, green electricity, and ecological restoration. The PV arrays not only generate renewable energy but also serve as protective structures against desert expansion. Straw checkerboard barriers have been installed around and beneath the solar fields to reduce wind erosion, enhance sand fixation, and improve land utilization efficiency.

This integrated approach creates multiple benefits: renewable energy production, desert ecosystem recovery, and long-term environmental protection — providing a replicable “Tarim Solution” for global desertification control.

During the construction of each PV project, Tarim Oilfield incorporated ecological restoration into the planning process. One-meter-square reed straw checkerboards were installed across the project areas, forming interconnected sand-control networks. These barriers slow down sand movement while capturing seeds carried by desert winds, creating natural conditions for vegetation recovery.

Meanwhile, photovoltaic panels act as natural shelters by reducing direct sunlight exposure, lowering surface temperatures, and decreasing water evaporation. Water droplets from PV panel cleaning also provide additional moisture for nearby plants, creating favorable micro-environments in the extremely dry desert climate.

This innovative model — “electricity generated above, vegetation restored below, sand stabilized between panels, and green energy protecting ecosystems” — represents a new pathway for sustainable desert development.

At the Qiemo 100MW photovoltaic project, Tarim Oilfield workers planted drought-resistant Apocynum venetum across desertified land to strengthen sand fixation. With the protection of the PV arrays and more than 1.4 million square meters of straw checkerboard barriers, plant seeds carried by the wind have gradually stopped drifting and begun growing between solar panels and sand-control grids.

To adapt the technology to different environments, Tarim Oilfield also launched a photovoltaic desert restoration demonstration project with 5D TECH at the Yuli 100MW photovoltaic power station.

Together, the two sides developed a 300-mu Apocynum venetum cultivation demonstration area beneath and around the PV modules, exploring a new “agrivoltaics + ecological restoration” pathway. The project aims to demonstrate how solar infrastructure can support both clean energy generation and desert ecosystem improvement.

According to Ma Yi, Deputy Leader of the Renewable Energy Operation and Maintenance Group of Tarim Oilfield’s New Energy Department:

“Photovoltaic panels work like sunshades and wind barriers. They can reduce near-ground wind speeds by 30%–50%, decrease sand movement rates by more than 40%, and significantly lower surface temperatures and evaporation. This creates a unique microclimate beneath the panels that supports vegetation growth.”

At the Jiashi 600MW photovoltaic project, Tarim Oilfield has prioritized ecological protection by preserving naturally distributed Populus euphratica (desert poplar) forests. During construction, the company followed the principle of minimal disturbance and maximum protection, carefully avoiding existing vegetation areas and reducing land damage caused by construction activities.

As a result, small “green islands” of desert vegetation remain within the vast blue landscape of photovoltaic panels, with approximately 4,441 mu of Populus euphratica preserved among the solar arrays.

Following the philosophy of “developing renewable energy while creating green oases and protecting blue skies,” Tarim Oilfield continues to expand the application of photovoltaic desert restoration.

With four additional large-scale PV projects currently under construction, dedicated ecological restoration zones have been planned from the beginning. These projects are expected to bring more green solutions into the desert, further demonstrating how renewable energy can become a powerful tool for ecological transformation.

Through innovative partnerships such as the collaboration with 5D TECH, the future of desert regions is being reshaped — where solar power generation and ecological restoration work together to create a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable world.