China is building a ‘city of mirrors’ on the roof of the world.
High on the Tibetan plateau, solar panels stretch across the desert in every direction. They shimmer like a second horizon. Sheep wander between them, grazing on plants that have taken root in the shelter of the glassy rows. Locals call them “photovoltaic sheep.”
The project is billed as the world’s largest solar farm. When finished, it will cover 610 square kilometers — about the size of Chicago — and generate enough power for 5 million households. It’s two-thirds of the way complete, and previous phases are already generating a lot of solar power. And it’s only the latest in China’s relentless sprint to dominate renewable energy.
Rain keeps solar panels clean. Output degrades over time naturally regarldess.
I lived off grid with a 2kW system for a decade,. As a test we cleaned themmonce at about the 5 yr mark with soap, water and a broom. My measuring equipment wasn’t sensitive enough to notice any difference.
That said, this is a desert (not much rain) I have seen small solar powered robotic cleaners (like robotic window cleaners) used on vast solar arrays along a rail, an array that vast and an increase is worth it
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