A solar farm in the Gobi Desert unexpectedly created a new ecosystem
anselm · x · 2026-09-13
A shared science post explains how a large solar farm in the Gobi Desert inadvertently transformed its local microclimate: panel shade reduced evaporation and panel-cleaning runoff watered the surroundings, allowing vegetation to take hold and attracting wildlife — turning barren desert into a functioning ecosystem, a famous example of the "solar sheep" phenomenon.
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