The Challenges of Green Energy

As non-renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly depleted, the world is searching for alternative energy sources, and solar energy is one of the most environmentally friendly options available. In recent years, China has gained a significant market share in solar power generation. In the country's vast and sparsely populated northwest regions, including Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinji­ang, several solar photovoltaic power stations have been built, spanning thousands of acres of land.

However, despite the abundance of land and the sparse population in these areas, there are still residents who lead traditional pastoral lives. Many families rely on the land to raise yaks and sheep, which are their primary source of income. When these large-scale con­struction projects encroach upon their land, the residents find that their livelihood is taken away without any choice. Although they re­ceive compensation, it often does not significantly improve their standard of living.

In January 2025, I visited several Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Qinghai Province and met with families whose land had been taken for solar power station construction. Some residents considered themselves lucky, believing that the compensation would enable them to buy houses in the city or invest in businesses. Others felt that the compensation was inadequate to compensate for their loss, farcing them to rent land from others to sustain their herds.

Additionally, some residents expressed concerns that the construction of photovoltaic power stations had severely harmed the local grasslands and the environment. They argued that while subsidies might provide short-term relief, the environmental damage is per­manent, and such compensation cannot sustain future generations. Furthermore, many locals are not well educated, leading to con­cerns that they might mismanage the extra money and quickly fall back into poverty.