Articles | Volume 19, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-8515-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-8515-2026
Development and technical paper
 | 
14 Sep 2026
Development and technical paper |  | 14 Sep 2026

Simulating the impacts of utility-scale photovoltaic installations with a physically based coupled WRF-PV model

Yiran Chen, Jiming Jin, Yimin Liu, Jannik Heusinger, Jesús Carrera, and Zeyu Zhou

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Cited articles

Almukhtar, H., Lie, T. T., and Al-Shohani, W. A. M.: Comprehensive analysis of dust impact on photovoltaic module temperature: Experimental insights and mathematical modeling, Sol. Energy, 265, 112125, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2023.112125, 2023. 
Armstrong, A., Ostle, N. J., and Whitaker, J.: Solar park microclimate and vegetation management effects on grassland carbon cycling, Environ. Res. Lett., 11, 074016, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/7/074016, 2016. 
Barron-Gafford, G. A., Minor, R. L., Allen, N. A., Cronin, A. D., Brooks, A. E., and Pavao-Zuckerman, M. A.: The Photovoltaic Heat Island Effect: Larger solar power plants increase local temperatures, Sci. Rep., 6, 35070, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35070, 2016. 
Barron-Gafford, G. A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M. A., Minor, R. L., Sutter, L. F., Barnett-Moreno, I., Blackett, D. T., Thompson, M., Dimond, K., Gerlak, A. K., Nabhan, G. P., and Macknick, J. E.: Agrivoltaics provide mutual benefits across the food–energy–water nexus in drylands, Nat. Sustain., 2, 848–855, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0364-5, 2019. 
Barron-Gafford, G. A., Murphy, P., Salazar, A., Lepley, K., Rouini, N., Barnett-Moreno, I., and Macknick, J. E.: Agrivoltaics as a climate-smart and resilient solution for midday depression in photosynthesis in dryland regions, Npj Sustain. Agric., 3, 32, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00073-1, 2025. 
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Short summary
Solar power plants are expanding rapidly worldwide, but their impacts on local climate remain uncertain. In this study, we developed a coupled model that explicitly represents interactions between solar panels, land surface, and the atmosphere. Evaluation against satellite observations showed improved simulation of land surface temperature over solar farms. Simulations show that solar farms can cool the land surface, warm near-surface air, reduce incoming sunlight, and alter rainfall patterns.
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