How to solve the problem of the power station?

With the acceleration of global energy structure transformation, photovoltaic power generation, due to its clean and renewable characteristics, has become the core of energy strategies of various countries. According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global new installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation exceeded 200 GW in 2024, and the cumulative installed capacity exceeded 1.5 terawatts. However, in this wave of energy revolution, the construction of photovoltaic power stations faces multiple challenges. How to balance development with ecology, technology and cost, policy and market relations has become a key issue for the sustainable development of the industry. 

I. Multidimensional Constraints on Land Resources 

The large-scale construction of photovoltaic power stations poses a severe challenge to land resources. Taking China as an example, each 100MW ground-based power station requires approximately 2,000 acres of land, equivalent to the area of 230 standard football fields. In the arid regions of the west, although the land cost is relatively low, the ecological vulnerability is prominent. A certain photovoltaic park in Inner Mongolia once caused the degradation of surrounding vegetation due to the failure to take effective sand-fixing measures, leading to the risk of sandstorms. In the densely populated eastern regions, the competition for land between photovoltaic power and agriculture, as well as construction, is even more intense. A certain rooftop photovoltaic project in Zhejiang was delayed by 18 months due to property rights disputes in its construction process. 

To break through the land bottleneck, composite utilization models such as "fish-lights combined" and "agriculture-lights combined" have gradually emerged. In a certain project in Jiangsu Province, photovoltaic panels were erected above the fish ponds, achieving dual benefits of power generation and fish farming, and the land utilization rate was increased by 40%. The three-dimensional development model not only alleviated the land shortage problem but also created a new agricultural ecosystem of "power generation on the panels and planting under the panels". 

II. Technical Barriers to Grid Acceptance 

The volatility of photovoltaic power poses challenges to the operation of the power grid. Data from the German power grid in 2023 shows that the fluctuation range of photovoltaic power output can reach 60% of the peak value, resulting in an increase of 230 million euros in grid frequency regulation costs. In a photovoltaic base in northwest China with a capacity of tens of millions of kilowatts, the rejection rate of electricity reached as high as 15%, causing an annual loss of over 1 billion yuan. The application of technologies such as flexible direct current transmission and virtual power plants has reduced the rejection rate of electricity at the Hami photovoltaic base in Xinjiang to below 3%. 

The breakthrough in energy storage technology has become crucial. A certain energy storage project in Qinghai, by installing a lithium battery energy storage system, increased the peak load regulation capacity of the photovoltaic power station by 50% and increased the revenue from participating in grid auxiliary services by 30%. With the industrialization of new technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and compressed air energy storage, the cost of energy storage is expected to decrease by 60% before 2030, providing an economically feasible solution for the consumption of photovoltaic power. 

III. Environmental Impact throughout the Entire Lifecycle 

The production process of photovoltaic modules is energy-intensive. Each GW of modules requires approximately 3.5万吨 of silicon materials and generates 2.8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. A certain photovoltaic enterprise in Yunnan improved its production process， reducing the silicon material consumption by 18% and the carbon footprint by 22%. The recycling and processing of retired modules have become an environmental focus. The EU's "Photovoltaic Module Recycling Directive" requires a recycling rate of 85% by 2030. Chinese enterprises have developed chemical disassembly technology that can achieve a material recovery rate of 98%. 

The balance between ecological protection and power station construction is of utmost importance. The Dunhuang photovoltaic power station adopts the "planting grass between the panels, and stabilizing sand under the panels" model, increasing the vegetation coverage rate to 45% and the number of wild animal species by 30%. This eco-friendly construction model has transformed the photovoltaic project from an "energy island" to an "ecological oasis". 

IV. Realistic Challenges to Economic Sustainability 

The initial investment cost of photovoltaic power stations is still relatively high. The average cost of ground-based power stations in China is approximately 3.5 yuan per watt, while that of distributed projects is 4.8 yuan per watt. The problem of financing is particularly prominent. A private photovoltaic enterprise suffered from a broken capital chain and had three projects halted as a result. Green financial innovation provides a solution. The "Photovoltaic Loan" product launched by the China Development Bank has lowered the loan interest rate to 3.2% and extended the loan term to 25 years. 

The imperfect market absorption mechanism restricts the stability of returns. In 2024, the winning bid price for photovoltaic bidding projects in Shandong Province dropped as low as 0.25 yuan per kilowatt-hour, approaching the cost of thermal power. However, there are still cases of electricity price arrears in some areas. The reform of power market trading is making progress, and the Guangdong power spot market has enabled photovoltaic enterprises to increase their profits by 15% through intraday trading. 

V. Breakthrough Directions in Technological Innovation 

New-generation photovoltaic technologies such as perovskite cells demonstrate great potential. The laboratory conversion efficiency has exceeded 26.8%. During the industrialization process, the tandem battery technology can increase the efficiency of existing components by 30%. The application of intelligent operation and maintenance systems has reduced operation and maintenance costs. A power station in Xinjiang used AI algorithms to predict equipment failures, resulting in a 40% reduction in the number of maintenance personnel. 

The improvement of the policy support system is the key guarantee. Germany's Renewable Energy Law (EEG) ensures the reasonable returns of photovoltaic investors through a mechanism combining fixed electricity prices with market premiums. China's "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly sets the target for the proportion of wind and solar power generation to reach 12% by 2025, and the accompanying guarantee policy for grid connection has provided a strong impetus for the development of the industry. 

Conclusion

The challenges in the construction of photovoltaic power stations essentially reflect the systemic contradictions during the process of energy transition. By breaking through bottlenecks through technological innovation, leading development with ecological concepts, and optimizing resource allocation through market mechanisms, the photovoltaic industry will undoubtedly play a more significant role in the energy revolution. Just as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts, by 2050, photovoltaic power will contribute 30% of the global electricity demand and become the dominant energy form. This green transformation not only requires technological breakthroughs but also necessitates collaborative innovation from all sectors of society to jointly build a sustainable energy future.