Satellites Reveal Spatial Heterogeneity in Dryland Photovoltaic Plants' Effects on Vegetation Dynamics.

Large‐scale photovoltaic (PV) plants are growing rapidly in drylands because of the rich solar radiation and vast unutilized land. The transformation of landscapes in dryland has threatened local fragile vegetation. Existing studies have investigated the issue by field observations and satellite data, yet the spatial differences in vegetation changes due to dryland PV plants deployment and underlying driving mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data were used to assess the vegetation changes disturbed by PV plants in China's drylands. We further identified environmental factors affecting vegetation changes based on random forest regression model. Our findings reveal the spatial heterogeneity in the impact of PV plants on vegetation dynamics—PV plant deployment promoted the growth of vegetation in the vast majority of arid and hyper‐arid drylands, while it tends to cause vegetation decline in the sub‐humid and semi‐arid drylands. The impact of PV plants on vegetation dynamics depends on local environmental conditions. We found that deploying PV plants in areas with sparse vegetation, low humidity, and long sunshine duration is more likely to promote vegetation restoration. The findings and data maps with highly detailed information can help guide solar energy operators in siting and ecological restoration to enhance techno–ecological synergies in the future. Plain Language Summary: In drylands, large‐scale photovoltaic (PV) plants are rapidly expanding. However, the spatial differences in vegetation changes caused by the PV plants deployment and underlying driving mechanisms remains understudied. Here, we used satellite remote sensing imagery to monitor the impact of PV plant deployment on vegetation dynamics in drylands. We employed machine learning models and multi‐source data sets to explore the environmental factors influencing the vegetation effects of PV plants. Our study findings indicate that the PV plants deployment has varying impacts on vegetation dynamics in different regions. In areas with sparse vegetation, low humidity, and long sunlight duration, PV plant deployment is more conducive to promoting vegetation restoration. These findings deepen our understanding of the ecological impacts of PV plants in drylands and emphasize the techno‐ecological synergistic benefits of PV plants in dryland ecosystems. Key Points: Existing PV plants exhibit spatially varied impacts on vegetation dynamicsThe impact of PV plants on vegetation dynamics depends on local environmental conditionsPV deployment helps enhance techno‐ecological synergies in most drylands of China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]