Saudi Arabia breeds gazelles at solar park
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Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve in Saudi Arabia released 38 Sand gazelles into a functioning 250 MW solar park to support a wildlife conservation program.
The reserve first ran a seven-month test to see if solar farms could act as safe places for threatened animals to breed. Researchers found the shade from the solar panels helped the gazelles, and the fencing kept out predators.
The 505-hectare solar facility offers 370 hectares suitable for animal care, with the pilot program taking place on a 157-hectare section containing a 66 MW solar array. Ground temperatures under the panels were 5 to 10 C cooler than in open areas. The reserve expects the first gazelle births this winter and predicts the Sand gazelle population could grow from 109 to 600 by 2031 if the program expands to use the entire solar facility.
The project is part of the broader ReWild Arabia program, which aims to rebuild populations of endangered species. The reserve partnered with Amaala Sustainable Company for Energy to combine renewable energy generation with biodiversity conservation.
