RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF OFFSHORE PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANT ON LOCAL CLIMATE

Zhao Jingyuan; Lin Taiming; Ji Ruixin; Liu Lichen; Chen Bobo

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2359

PDF(5584 KB)

Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (4) : 737-749. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2359

RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF OFFSHORE PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANT ON LOCAL CLIMATE

Zhao Jingyuan, Lin Taiming, Ji Ruixin, Liu Lichen, Chen Bobo

Author information +

History +

Abstract

From the perspective of architectural disciplines, numerical simulations of an offshore photovoltaic （PV） plant were conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting - Building Environment Parameterization （WRF-BEP） model. By comparing the regional climate before and after the construction of the offshore PV plant, the analysis examines its impact on the local climate, particularly the microclimate of adjacent building clusters. The results show that the offshore PV plant has significant impacts on the microclimate of downwind building clusters during summer days, with the affected area extending beyond 10 km. In the studied case, the temperature in the open high-rise building cluster located 11.1 km downwind increases by up to 1.04℃. The impacts on building clusters outside the downwind zone are much less pronounced compared to those downwind. Therefore, offshore PV plants should avoid deployment upwind of building clusters and prioritize development in distant offshore areas to mitigate their impacts on the coastal climate by leveraging the buffering effect of the ocean. For building clusters within a 10 km range that are not downwind of offshore PV plants, layout optimization should be considered to mitigate adverse climatic effects.

Key words

offshore photovoltaics power / climate control / microclimate of building clusters / energy conservation

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

Zhao Jingyuan, Lin Taiming, Ji Ruixin, Liu Lichen, Chen Bobo. RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF OFFSHORE PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANT ON LOCAL CLIMATE[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2026, 47(4): 737-749 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2359

References

[1] 国家能源局. 2024年上半年光伏发电建设情况[EB/OL]. https://www.nea.gov.cn/2024-07/25/c_1310782757.htm, 2024-07-25/2024-07-30.
CHINA NATIONAL ENERGY ADMINISTRATION. Status of Photovoltaic Power Generation Construction in the First Half of2024[EB/OL]. https://www.nea.gov.cn/2024-07/25/c_1310782757.htm, 2024-07-25/2024-07-30.
[2] 董梓童. 海上光伏迈向“深蓝”[N]. 中国能源报, 2022-06-13(012).
DONG Z T. Offshore photovoltaics moving towards the "deep blue"[N]. China Energy News, 2022-06-13(012).
[3] 高晓清, 杨丽薇, 吕芳, 等. 光伏电站对格尔木荒漠地区空气温湿度影响的观测研究[J]. 太阳能学报, 2016, 37(11): 2909-2915.
GAO X Q, YANG L W, LYU F, et al.Observational study on the impact of the large solar farm on air temperature and humidity in desert areas of Golmud[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2016, 37(11): 2909-2915.
[4] YANG L W, GAO X Q, LV F, et al.Study on the local climatic effects of large photovoltaic solar farms in desert areas[J]. Solar energy, 2017, 144: 244-253.
[5] 殷代英, 马鹿, 屈建军, 等. 大型光伏电站对共和盆地荒漠区微气候的影响[J]. 水土保持通报, 2017, 37(3): 15-21.
YIN D Y, MA L, QU J J, et al.Effect of large photovoltaic power station on microclimate of desert region in Gonghe basin[J]. Bulletin of soil and water conservation, 2017, 37(3): 15-21.
[6] 常兆丰, 刘世增, 詹科杰, 等. 沙漠光伏电场的光伏转换及能量传递效应: 以甘肃古浪振发光伏电场为例[J]. 生态经济, 2020, 36(11): 188-194.
CHANG Z F, LIU S Z, ZHAN K J, et al.Photovoltaic conversion and energy transfer effect of desert photovoltaic field: a case study of Gulang Zhenfa photovoltaic field of Gansu[J]. Ecological economy, 2020, 36(11): 188-194.
[7] WU W, YUE S J, ZHOU X D, et al.Observational study on the impact of large-scale photovoltaic development in deserts on local air temperature and humidity[J]. Sustainability, 2020, 12(8): 3403.
[8] JIANG J X, GAO X Q, LV Q Q, et al.Observed impacts of utility-scale photovoltaic plant on local air temperature and energy partitioning in the barren areas[J]. Renewable energy, 2021, 174: 157-169.
[9] 罗小林, 罗久富, 罗忠新, 等. 农业光伏局地气候效应研究[J]. 太阳能学报, 2024, 45(5): 450-457.
LUO X L, LUO J F, LUO Z X, et al.Agrophotovoltaics efects on local microagroclimate[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2024, 45(5): 450-457.
[10] LI G Q, HERNANDEZ R R, BLACKBURN G A, et al.Ground-mounted photovoltaic solar parks promote land surface cool islands in arid ecosystems[J]. Renewable and sustainable energy transition, 2021, 1: 100008.
[11] ZHANG X H, XU M.Assessing the effects of photovoltaic powerplants on surface temperature using remote sensing techniques[J]. Remote sensing, 2020, 12(11): 1825.
[12] TAHA H.The potential for air-temperature impact from large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaic arrays in urban areas[J]. Solar energy, 2013, 91: 358-367.
[13] FTHENAKIS V, YU Y H.Analysis of the potential for a heat island effect in large solar farms[C]//2013 IEEE 39th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC). Tampa, FL, USA, 2013: 3362-3366.
[14] SALAMANCA F, GEORGESCU M, MAHALOV A, et al.Citywide impacts of cool roof and rooftop solar photovoltaic deployment on near-surface air temperature and cooling energy demand[J]. Boundary-layer meteorology, 2016, 161(1): 203-221.
[15] HEUSINGER J, BROADBENT A M, SAILOR D J, et al.Introduction, evaluation and application of an energy balance model for photovoltaic modules[J]. Solar energy, 2020, 195: 382-395.
[16] CHANG R, SHEN Y B, LUO Y, et al.Observed surface radiation and temperature impacts from the large-scale deployment of photovoltaics in the barren area of Gonghe, China[J]. Renewable energy, 2018, 118: 131-137.
[17] CHANG R, LUO Y, ZHU R.Simulated local climatic impacts of large-scale photovoltaics over the barren area of Qinghai, China[J]. Renewable energy, 2020, 145: 478-489.
[18] CHANG R, YAN Y P, LUO Y, et al.A coupled WRF-PV mesoscale model simulating the near-surface climate of utility-scale photovoltaic plants[J]. Solar energy, 2022, 245: 278-289.
[19] CHANG R, YAN Y P, WU J, et al.Projected PV plants in China’s Gobi Deserts would result in lower evaporation and wind[J]. Solar energy, 2023, 256: 140-150.
[20] 高晓清, 李振朝, 蒋俊霞, 等. 光伏电站陆面过程及其生态气候效应[M]. 兰州: 甘肃科学技术出版社, 2024.
GAO X Q, LI Z C, JIANG J X, et al.Land surface process of photovoltaic power station and its eco-climate effect[M]. Lanzhou: Gansu Science & Technology Press, 2024.
[21] BARRON-GAFFORD G A, MINOR R L, ALLEN N A, et al. The photovoltaic heat island effect: larger solar power plants increase local temperatures[J]. Scientific reports, 2016, 6: 35070.
[22] DEMUZERE M, KITTNER J, BECHTEL B.LCZ generator: a web application to create local climate zone maps[J]. Frontiers in environmental science, 2021, 9: 637455.
[23] DEMUZERE M, ARGÜESO D, ZONATO A, et al. W2W: a Python package that injects WUDAPT’s LocalClimate Zone information in WRF[J]. Journal of open source software, 2022, 7(76): 4432.
[24] SAHA S, MOORTHI S, WU X R, et al.The NCEP climate forecast system version 2[J]. Journal of climate, 2014, 27(6): 2185-2208.
[25] SHARQAWY M H, LIENHARD J H, ZUBAIR S M.Thermophysical properties of seawater: a review of existing correlations and data[J]. Desalination and water treatment, 2010, 16(1/2/3): 354-380.
[26] PAYNE R E.Albedo of the sea surface[J]. Journal of the atmospheric sciences, 1972, 29(5): 959-970.
[27] MASUDA K, TAKASHIMA T, TAKAYAMA Y.Emissivity of pure and sea waters for the model sea surface in the infrared window regions[J]. Remote sensing of environment, 1988, 24(2): 313-329.
[28] U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. Landsat 8-9 operational land imager-thermal infrared sensor collection 2 level 2 data format control book[M]. 7.0. Sioux Falls: EROS, 2022.
[29] ALTMAN D G, BLAND J M.Measurement in medicine: the analysis of method comparison studies[J]. The statistician, 1983, 32(3): 307.
[30] ALI MANSOURNIA M, WATERS R, NAZEMIPOUR M, et al.Bland-Altman methods for comparing methods of measurement and response to criticisms[J]. Global epidemiology, 2021, 3: 100045.
[31] BROADBENT A M, KRAYENHOFF E S, GEORGESCU M, et al.The observed effects of utility-scale photovoltaics on near-surface air temperature and energy balance[J]. Journal of applied meteorology and climatology, 2019, 58(5): 989-1006.
[32] 于蒙蒙. 上海出台专项补贴风电建设向深远海发展[N]. 中国证券报, 2022-11-28(A5).
YU M M. Shanghai introduces special subsidies for offshore wind power development in deeper waters[N]. China Securities News, 2022-11-28(A5).
[33] 高彤. 向海追光[J]. 创新世界周刊, 2022(11): 54-55.
GAO T.Pursuing light at sea[J]. Innovation World Weekly, 2022(11): 54-55.
[34] 赵康, 秦玉林, 吕国荃, 等. 光伏阵列对屋顶传热影响的计算模型及分析[J]. 太阳能学报, 2025, 46(2): 333-341.
ZHAO K, QIN Y L, LYU G Q, et al.Calculation model and analysis of effect of photovoltaic array on roof heat transfer[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2025, 46(2): 333-341.
[35] 段济开, 陈香月, 王文鹏, 等. 基于WRF-Solar和VMD-BiGRU的超短期太阳辐射订正预报研究[J]. 太阳能学报, 2025, 46(1): 710-716.
DUAN J K, CHEN X Y, WANG W P, et al.Ultra-short-term solar radiation correction forecast study based on WRF-Solar and VMD-BiGRU[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2025, 46(1): 710-716.