On Top of the World: Solar Panels Go Up on Tibetan Plateau

Solar energy companies generally have one thing in common: they like to be on the cutting edge of technology and the first to break ground where others wouldn’t dare.

That is just the case with SunTech, a company that will soon build a massive solar array on the largest, highest place on earth: the Tibetan Plateau.

The land is situated between the Himalayan range and the Taklamakan Desert, and is calculated at 4,000 meters above sea level. Being this high up means a massive amount of intense sunlight—exactly what led SunTech to decide it’s a prime spot for solar.

With plans to build in Chek Kang village in Sangri County, the 10MW array will provide 20,000MWh of renewable electricity every year to surrounding towns and villages.

But while the land may be perfect for this purpose, installing a solar installation here will also push Tibet towards more sustainable economic development.

The Founder, Chairman and CEO of SunTech, Dr. Zhengrong Shi understands the upsides to creating this solar array:

“We’re proud to invest in preserving the region’s fragile ecosystem by providing an economically-viable and sustainable solution for electricity generation. From the desert sands of Arizona to the peaks of the Himalayas, anyone can look up and harness nature’s cleanest and most abundant energy resource.”

Surrounding villages are also looking forward to the new installation, as hard-to-predict weather patterns have made their strict reliance on hydroelectric resources nearly impossible.

So while Tibetans will still use their previous forms of energy, they will now also be able to rely heavily on the power generated by the solar power array.

In showing their appreciation for SunTech’s efforts to bring solar power to the region through this project and several others, a SunTech flag now flies on Mount Everest—a clear indication that this company has all the support they need to make this installation a success.

Photo Credit: Jesse Allen via Wikimedia CC

Posted on March 28th in Solar News by Kayla.