[SergeAx]

If we (as in "civilization") were able to produce that many solar panels, we should cover all the deserts with them. It will also shift the local climate balance towards a more habitable ecosystem, enabling first vegetation and then slowly growing the rest of the food chain.

[throw0101a]

> It will also shift the local climate balance towards a more habitable ecosystem, enabling first vegetation and then slowly growing the rest of the food chain.

Depends on the deserts in question and knock-on effects: Saharan Dust Feeds Amazon’s Plants.

* https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-sat...

Helping vegetation in one place to grow may hinder it somewhere else. How important this is still appears to be an open question:

* https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00071-w

I'm not sure if humans are wise enough yet to try 'geo-hacking' (we're already messing things up: see carbon dumping).

[DoctorOetker]

for solar panels that are say 25% efficient, that means 75% of optical energy is turned into heat, whereas the sand had a relatively high albedo, its going to significantly heat up the local environment!

[SergeAx]

http://english.scio.gov.cn/m/chinavoices/2025-10/23/content_...

In your opinion, how credible is this story?

[jacquesm]

That is not what 25% efficiency means for solar panels.