LONGi Discusses Innovative PV Strategies for Safeguarding Food Security at UNCCD COP17

From August 17 to 28, 2026, the stunning city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, hosts the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17). The conference is vital in addressing global challenges related to land degradation and its impacts on food security. During this pivotal meeting, LONGi, a leader in solar energy technology, took center stage to present groundbreaking ideas aimed at enhancing food security utilizing photovoltaic (PV) technology.

One of the major highlights of LONGi’s participation was during a side event titled “From Desert to Asset – Comprehensive Solutions for Integrated PV-Based Ecological Restoration,” co-hosted by Tsinghua University’s School of Social Sciences and the China Green Development Foundation. There, the founder and Chief Technology Officer of LONGi, Li Zhenguo, joined via video link to discuss the urgent need for innovation in food production and how traditional methods are increasingly inadequate in the face of extreme weather events like droughts and floods caused by climate change.

Li Zhenguo emphasized that conventional agriculture relies heavily on natural photosynthesis and is significantly impacted by climatic conditions. He outlined the pressing challenges that global climate change poses to food production. Notably, he discussed how photovoltaic technology has matured and is now more affordable, providing an innovative alternative to bolster food security by mitigating carbon emissions and improving the food supply resilience.

In conjunction with this discussion, Li Zhenguo released an article titled “Photovoltaics for Food Security” in the esteemed journal Nature Sustainability, delineating two promising technological pathways for applying PV solutions in agricultural contexts.

Pathway 1: PV-Driven Artificial Synthesis of Starch

The first pathway involves the artificial synthesis of starch from carbon dioxide through PV technology. In this innovative approach, electricity generated by solar panels can facilitate the electrolysis of water, producing green hydrogen. This green hydrogen is then utilized to convert captured CO₂ into green methanol, which undergoes processes like oxidation and polymerization to ultimately yield starch.

This method showcases a potential efficiency leap from the traditional photosynthesis process—which typically sees around 2% efficiency—to a remarkable 7-10% efficiency using PV technology. In fact, calculations suggest that deploying photovoltaics on merely 3.7% of the Sahara Desert could yield a staggering 26 trillion kWh of green electricity, an amount sufficient to synthesize approximately 3 billion tonnes of food, thus meeting current global food demands.

Pathway 2: The Energy-Water-Food Nexus Approach

The second pathway proposes a comprehensive “energy-water-food” nexus system, which entails the development of PV power plants in barren desert areas. Here, the shading effect caused by the solar panels can significantly reduce soil moisture evaporation, improve soil microclimates, and decrease the irrigation needs of crops. This method is further enhanced by integrating seawater desalination powered by PV and inter-regional water transfer projects, thereby converting previously unarable desert land into fertile farmland.

LONGi has been actively testing this strategy at the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, China. This initiative explores the dynamic of generating power from solar panels while simultaneously cultivating crops and raising livestock beneath the panels. As a result, the previously barren land is blooming into a productive ecosystem. This real-world application serves as a powerful proof of concept underscoring the feasibility of synergizing PV technology with ecological and agricultural restoration in desert environments.

The overarching theme of COP17 is “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.” LONGi’s poignant contributions during the conference aim to ignite meaningful dialogue among government, scientific, and corporate stakeholders to foster international collaboration in combating desertification and restoring ecological balance through PV technology. By pioneering the integration of solar energy with ecological restoration and agriculture, LONGi aims to create a sustainable development framework that is both resilient and effective in addressing food security challenges in a warming climate.

Moving forward, LONGi is committed to employing Solar-plus-Storage technologies to tackle climate change proactively. Their ambition remains clear: to continue driving progress in the partnership between photovoltaic solutions and ecological, agricultural, and water management sectors. In doing so, LONGi strives to build a more resilient and sustainable global community where green energy becomes affordable, safe, and accessible to all.