The 250 MW photovoltaic desert control demonstration project developed by China Power Construction in Shaya County, Xinjiang, officially commenced commercial operations in April 2026. It has successfully stabilized 7,750 acres of desert land. Annually generating 420 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, the project's output is sufficient to meet the entire county's yearly power consumption needs. Utilizing a multi-layered sand fixation system combining engineering, biological, and photovoltaic methods, the initiative has also created temporary employment for over 2,000 individuals, increasing their average income by more than 20,000 yuan per person.

Just a few years ago, this area was an uninhabitable wasteland dominated by shifting sand dunes. Today, straw checkerboards anchor the sand beneath the solar panels, while a forest of saxaul trees outside the array forms a green protective barrier. Located in Shaya County within the Aksu Prefecture of Xinjiang, this 250 MW demonstration zone, after more than two years of construction, has now achieved a cumulative desert control area of 7,750 acres.

According to Wang Tao, Plant Manager of the Shaya Phase I Solar Power Station under PowerChina New Energy Group Co., Ltd., construction on the project began in 2023. It was completed by the end of 2025 and started commercial operation in April 2026. Covering 6,450 acres, the demonstration zone is equipped with 540,000 N-type monocrystalline silicon bifacial double-glass modules. Its annual power generation capacity reaches 420 million kWh, essentially fulfilling the annual electricity demand of Shaya County's residents.

For desert control, the project employs a multi-layer protection system integrating "engineering sand fixation, biological sand fixation, and photovoltaic sand blocking." Approximately 2,000 acres of straw checkerboards have been laid under the solar panels, while 1,300 acres of saxaul forest have been planted around the perimeter of the site. Combined with the inherent sand-stabilizing effect of the photovoltaic area itself, the total managed desert area has reached 7,750 acres.

Wang Tao recalled, "When we first arrived, we ate 'sand with rice' every day. When strong winds blew outside, smaller drafts came inside the buildings, and we woke up each morning with sand in our hair." After nearly three years of continuous desert control efforts, the impact of sandstorm weather has significantly decreased.

This project is the first in Aksu Prefecture primarily focused on using photovoltaics for desert control. While achieving ecological restoration, it has also generated income for local farmers and herders. During phases such as land leveling and equipment installation, the project provided temporary employment for more than 2,000 people from surrounding communities, raising their average income by over 20,000 yuan per person.

Subsequent plans include inoculating Cistanche deserticola beneath the saxaul forests to further explore the potential of desert industries.