How the development of solar and wind farms on the Tibetan Plateau is affecting local communities
Credit: Published: June 11, 2026 • Sanggay Tashi • theconversation.com ~~
With vast open landscapes and high elevations that provide ideal conditions for harnessing solar and wind energy, many pastoral lands have become key sites for large-scale renewable energy projects.
Parts of what was once open fine alpine grassland, which Tibetans call pangtang where herders moved freely and gazed across the boundless horizon, are now covered by dense rows of solar panels.
When the solar panels were installed, excavation for support posts and underground cables disturbed the topsoil and destroyed the native grasses, which consist of a diverse species of grass.
According to people involved in the work, the replacement grasses consisted of only one or two dominant species among the several that were common in the local ecosystem. And the seeds used for restoration came from beyond the local area, so residents are unsure whether the replanted grasses are exactly the same as the types that grow locally.
https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2026/06/23/how-the-development-of-solar-and-wind-farms-on-the-tibetan-plateau-is-affecting-local-communities/
