Introduction
Since 2009, China is the world’s largest energy consumer. Annual consumption for coal rose 5.3%, 12.9% for crude oil, 18.2% for natural gas, and 13.1% for electricity from 2009 to 2010 and such growth is expected to continue (Yang 2011). The immense consumption of fossil fuels has both local and global effects. Fossil fuel extraction, refining, transportation and consumption are associated with major environmental issues such as pollution and land-use change and seen as a major driver in human-induced climate change. Furthermore, in our increasingly interdependent global economy, energy decisions of China affect markets worldwide. Therefore, China’s energy decisions have global affects.
Recent developments in technology now allow electricity to be produced in advantageous locations far away from consumption centers. These arise out of the nature of renewable energies. For example, solar potential varies on a daily and seasonal basis. Also, suitable production areas (sources) may be far away from consumption centers (sinks). Recent break throughs in high voltage direct current transmission (HDVC) mean that electricity loss is now only 3% per 1000 km (Desertec). If renewable energies are to play a more important role in the global energy mix in the future, long distance energy transport together with energy storage will offset renewable energies' temporally variable power generation. Thus, PV electricity can then be transmitted via high voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) over long distances to major electricity consuming centers.
Solar thermal power plants are systems where mirrors reflect solar rays and concentrate them onto a central tower. The central tower has an absorber tube of synthetic heat transfer oil, which can be heated up to 400 °C (May 2005). The oil gives off its energy to evaporate water, which then moves a turbine as steam. Assuming crystallline Silicon PV modules, presently the most popular module on the market, it would take 1.2x10^4 km2 at 1800 kWh/kW and 0.18 kW/m2 to meet the total electricity consumption of China.
In this project we focus on assessment large-scale photovoltaic (PV) power production in the Himalayas. Most visions for extensive solar power collection have been focused on low-lying desert areas. One example is the Desertec Foundation’s preliminary efforts to turn the Sahara desert into an energy provider for North Africa and Europe (Desertec). However, research shows that taking into account both irradiation and temperature, previously unthought of high altitude mountainous areas actually have a much higher potential for PV production (Kawajiri et al. 2011). The study shows that lower ambient temperatures lead to an increase in performance ratio. Irradiation increases and temperature decreases with elevation. Therefore, areas above 5000 meters elevation in the Peruvian andes and the Himalayas have the highest potential for PV energy generation worldwide, over 1800 kWh/kW. The high potential area in the Himalayas falls almost entirely into the Chinese province of Tibet. In this project we use basic GIS multi-criteria analysis methodology to determine potentially suitable areas for PV production in Tibet.
We based the analysis on elevation, slope, aspect, protected areas and land cover (Table 1).
