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Large-scale solar power plants are rapidly increasing in size and number across the world. However, the surface heat balance is altered when a photovoltaic (PV) power plant is operating. Modifications to the surface albedo through the deployment of photovoltaic arrays have the potential to change radiative forcing, surface temperatures and local weather patterns. In this work, the field observation data from a large solar farm and a region without PV array in Golmud are used to study the impact of large solar farms in desert areas on the local meteorology. The results show that the total daily values of upward shortwave radiation and net radiation in the two sites are significantly different. The mean daily albedo in the solar farm is 0.19, while it is 0.26 in the region without PV. The annual mean net radiation in the solar farm is evidently higher than that of the region without PV. The daily range of soil temperatures at a depth of 5–10 cm in the solar farm is lower than that in the region without a PV farm. The annual range of soil temperatures at a depth of 5–180 cm in the solar farm is higher than that in the region without PV. The soil temperatures at different depths in winter in the solar farm are clearly lower than those in the region without PV. The daily mean of soil temperatures at a depth of 5–80 cm from October 2012 to March 2013 is clearly lower than that in the region without a PV array. The 2-m daytime air temperature in the two sites is essentially the same during winter, while during the other seasons, the daytime air temperature in the PV farm is higher than that in the region without PV, with the maximum difference appearing during the summer. The nighttime air temperatures at a height of 2 m during the four seasons in the solar farm are higher than those in the region without PV. The monthly average 2-m air temperature in the solar farm is higher than that in the region without PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PV plants in China's northwestern Gobi Deserts would favor lower evaporation and wind. • Local climate effects of PV plants are equivalent to or even greater than projected climate variability. • PV-induced climate effects could contribute to improving ecological conditions in Gobi Deserts. In this study, a promising photovoltaic (PV) deployment scenario is firstly designed to represent China's solar energy development in the context of its dual carbon target. Then, the potential climate effects of the designed PV plants under different emission scenarios are simulated using a newly developed weather research and forecasting (WRF)-PV regional climate model, which is initiated by the latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) projections. The modeling results indicate that the projected PV plants in China's Gobi Deserts could impact the local climate, causing positive change of 3.71 ± 0.03 % in the surface relative humidity, and negative changes of 1.60 ± 1.36 W/m2 in the latent heat flux and 0.39 ± 0.00 m/s in the 10-m wind speed in July by about 2060 under the intermediate emission scenario, and these PV-induced climate effects are approximately equivalent to or even greater than the projected climate variability, but almost confined to the local area. These findings suggest that the projected PV deployment in China will lead to low carbon emissions while causing favorable climate effects, such as lower evaporation and wind speed in Gobi Deserts, which will bring environmental and ecological benefits to the PV industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microclimate and soil characteristics under Gobi PV arrays were first observed. • South-facing PV panels reduced wind speed with the prevailing northerly wind below. • PV panels had buffer effects on microclimate and soil thermal regime change. • Annual net radiation reduction was up to 92.68% since the shading of PV. • The significant increase in relative humidity during winter was caused by snow cover. The high demand for low-carbon energy sources to mitigate climate change has prompted a rapid increase in ground-mounted solar parks. The implementation of photovoltaic (PV) significantly impacted the local climate and ecosystem, which are both poorly understood. To investigate the effects of a typical solar park on the Gobi ecological system, local microclimate and soil thermal regimes were measured year-round under and between PV arrays, at an applied solar park sited in Xinjiang, China. Our results demonstrated their seasonal and diurnal changes. Under solar PV arrays, the mean annual net radiation and wind speed decreased by 92.68 % and 50.53 % respectively. In contrast, PV panels caused an increase of the rear sides air by 10.12 % with 0.87 °C. South-facing PV panels reduced wind speed with the prevailing northerly wind below. In addition, the relative humidity rapidly decreased when snow covered the ground, but slightly increased from April to September. We found the soil under PV panels was cooler and tended to be a sink of energy during spring and summer whereas was more often a source during autumn and winter compared with the soil between PV panels. Observed data developed the understanding of the energy processes of solar parks in Gobi ecosystems and provided evidence to support the sustainable management of the solar park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]