Solar-powered sheep

Talatan is nearly 3,000 meters above sea level. This means that it is pummeled with radiation from the sun which is not suitable for plant growth. It was an ambitious plan by the local government to build a photovoltaic power station there, as the original desertification rate was up to 98.5 percent. The panels are prone to damage by the sand and gravel disturbed up by the strong gusts of wind. Grass seeds have been heavily planted in the base to stop the sand from being blown away.

The locals took a dim view of the grass growing, let alone thriving, in such a barren place. Unexpectedly, the grass here has kept growing prolifically, and the photovoltaic panel park has turned into an oasis. "The laying of photovoltaic panels reduces the wind erosion on vegetation. The water we use for daily cleaning of photovoltaic panels infiltrates beneath the surface, which has a certain nourishing effect on the grass," says Zhu Mingcheng, general manager of the Hainan branch of the Yellow River Hydropower Co.