The Impact of Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Plant on Near Surface Turbulence Characteristics in the Barren Areas

The local climate effects of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants have also attracted more and more attention with the rapid development of PV industry. Turbulent fluxes and intensity characteristics for the PV plant and the adjacent reference site are investigated in the gobi area in Wujianqu in Xinjiang. Results indicate that near surface boundary layer is more unstable during the daytime while is more stable at the night in the PV plant than the reference site. The average roughness is 0.089m and 0.041m for the PV plant and the reference site respectively. The turbulence intensity in the vertical direction (I_w) of the PV plant is higher than the reference site especially during the daytime. The turbulent kinetic energy of the PV plant during the daytime is lower than the reference site.The momentum in the PV plant is higher than the reference site, especially during the daytime. Compared to the reference site, the PV plant has higher sensible heat flux and less latent heat flux. Site specific turbulent intensity relationships were developed for the PV plant and the reference site by analyzing wind components as a function of stability parameter (z/L). The turbulent components of wind followed 1/3 power law in the unstable conditions and stable conditions in the PV plant and the reference site.