China's Great Solar Wall

This truly gargantuan project even includes the world's largest image made of solar panels.

Described by NASA as “a sea of photovoltaic possibility,” China has embarked on a multi-year initiative to create a vast solar array capable of powering Beijing - a city with 22 million inhabitants.

The project, expected to be finished in 2030, will be 250 miles (400km) long and 3 miles (5km) wide, stretching across the sandy and mostly devoid of life Kubuqi Desert, in Inner Mongolia. When complete, the installation will achieve a maximum generating capacity of 100 GW. So far, Chinese officials say they have installed about 5.4 GW.

The Kubuqi’s sunny weather, flat terrain, and proximity to industrial centers make it an excellent location for solar power generation.

The solar farm that resembles a galloping horse - Junma Solar Power Station - was completed in 2019 (you can just make it out in the image above, taken in December 2024), setting a Guinness world record for the largest image made of solar panels. It generates enough electricity each year to meet the yearly electricity needs of 300,000 to 400,000 people. Junma means “fine horse” in Mandarin.

As of June 2024, China led the world in operating solar farm capacity - representing about 51 percent of the global total, according to Global Energy Monitor’s Global Solar Power Tracker. The United States ranks second with 79,364 megawatts (11 percent), followed by India with 53,114 megawatts (7 percent).

NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.