Project documentation and government reporting emphasize the integration of solar infrastructure with ecological management. One widely publicized practice is the use of controlled grazing beneath PV arrays—often referred to in Chinese media as "photovoltaic sheep"—to manage vegetation, reduce fire risk, and prevent shading of modules while providing additional income streams for local herders. While the panels were originally too low for sheep to graze, that has since been changed and sheep are an intentional part of the project. Other measures highlighted in public material include windbreaks, ground-cover planting, and surface stabilization intended to reduce dust accumulation on panels and mitigate wind erosion. These approaches are presented as part of a broader effort to combine renewable energy deployment with land rehabilitation in arid regions. Unexpected impacts of the solar farm include increased vegetation coverage and soil health. Researchers from the
Xi'an University of Technology published findings in
Scientific Reports reporting that the panels cause vitality improvements in the soil directly beneath them. The provided shade, trapped moisture, and temperature stabilization led the soil to improve from a classification of 'poor' to 'general'. == See also ==