Photovoltaic generation potential and developmental suitability in southern Hebei

The traditional PV potential calculation based on PV available land only considers a single land use type and lacks a comprehensive assessment of all land types, so the PV potential has not been fully exploited. Considering southern Hebei as the study area, this study quantified the utilisation rate of land that was available for photovoltaic (PV) power by GIS and established a PV potential assessment model that considered various land types. Simultaneously, the regional power consumption was spatialised, and the electricity generation and consumption were compared to categorise areas into four types. The results show that the rooftops in southern Hebei had the largest PV potential, with a theoretical power generation capacity of 64,032 GWh, followed by water bodies, roads, and unused land. These areas had a total power generation capacity of 131,306 GWh. Furthermore, power consumption is spatialised due to its uneven spatial distribution. The spatialisation results of power consumption showed that it was relatively concentrated in cities and their surrounding areas. Therefore, rooftops and roads in urban areas are suitable for priority development. When comparing power consumption and generation, it was found that most of the central urban areas and some economically developed counties belonged to the L–H (Low power generation and high power consumption) category and should be developed first.