Light-grazing coupling pattern of photovoltaic electric field and benefit analysis in Mu Us Sandy Land

The development of a photovoltaic industry in the Mu Us Sandy Land in China presents a promising opportunity for the green transformation and growth of local economy. However, the construction and operation of photovoltaic electric fields destroys vegetation in the photovoltaic field area and surroundings, which could aggravate the degradation of the sandy land ecology, with substantial negative impact on the stability of the local fragile ecosystem. Combining photovoltaic power generation with ecological environment protection is crucial for the sustainable development of a photovoltaic industry in Mu Us Sandy Land. Based on the natural ecological environment conditions of this region and the principle of ecological and economic coupling, which combines on-board power generation with under-board grass planting, this study constructed a development model that integrates photovoltaic power generation with the grass and animal husbandry industries. The model data revealed that, compared to the unaffected area, vegetation coverage within the Yidangwan photovoltaic electric field increase by 79% to 81%. The total value of one hectare reached 132.89 × 10⁴ yuan, which is 7.60 times higher than the comprehensive benefit of the area outside the photovoltaic electric field. The total ecological benefit value, accounted for 47.29% of this increase, while social and economic benefits contributed 27.25% and 25.46%, respectively. Among the nine evaluation indices, the nutrient cycling index has the highest, making up 37.38% of the total. The light-grazing coupling pattern demonstrated significant coupling benefit and has broad application and promotion potential for photovoltaic electric field in Mu Us Sandy Land.