Satellite images recently released by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show how China has transformed a sandy tract of land in a desert in the northern part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region into a large-scale solar power generation base.
The images released as a part of an article titled "Building a Great Solar Wall in China" on the NASA Earth Observatory website showed how the Shuofang New Energy Base in the Kubuqi Desert has been developed since 2017.
Calling Shuofang New Energy Base "a sea of photovoltaic possibility", the article also highlighted a unique aspect of the base - the "Junma Solar Power Station" - which is an image of a galloping horse consisting entirely of solar panels.
In July 2019, the solar farm set a new Guinness world record for the largest image made up of solar panels.
China is accelerating its transition to renewable energy with renewables now generating more than 35 percent of the country's electricity. China's investment in energy transition reached 676 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, making it the world's largest investor in the field.
China's solar power generation has made notable progress, surpassing wind and hydroelectric to become the country's second largest power generation source according to official data.
NASA images show how China has transformed sand dunes into solar power plant
