The impact of photovoltaic plants on dryland vegetation phenology revealed by time-series remote sensing images

To limit global warming, solar energy production is expanding in drylands globally. This study investigated phenological changes caused by photovoltaic (PV) plants in China's drylands using satellite-derived metrics. The results show that the deployment of PV plants has advanced the start of the growing season (SOS) by a median of 13.7 days, while extending the length of the growing season (LOS) by a median of 16.3 days in arid and semi-arid drylands. Soil moisture was the main factor influencing phenological changes in these regions, indicating that the evaporation-reducing effect of PV panels strongly regulates phenology. In sub-humid drylands, solar radiation was the primary factor, with shading effects delaying SOS and shortening LOS. The phenology of PV plants in these regions did not show significant changes, possibly because the shading effect of the PV panels delays SOS and shortens LOS, which may counteract the effects of increased soil moisture on phenology.