Andes And Himalayas Could Be Solar Energy Hotspots

The freezing heights of the Himalaya region in South Asia, and the highest mountains in the Andes in South America, are two of the best places to produce solar energy, according to a study.

So far, hot and sunny regions, such as North Africa have been hailed as the best for large-scale solar energy production — such as the solar-thermal initiative DESERTEC.

But a study has found that key areas for solar energy production through photovoltaic (PV) panels are in the coldest regions in the world, including Antarctica

These areas have a lot of sunshine — and therefore a high amount of solar irradiation — and low temperatures help improve solar panel performance.
Just four per cent of the area with the highest potential in the Himalayas, or around 120,000 square kilometres, could power the entirety of China, based on 2007 electricity consumption data, the study says.
It could also provide electricity to India, as well as contribute to the mitigation of climate change by reducing CO2 emissions in the two growing economies, the study says.