Benefits of photovoltaic development on abandoned mines for carbon neutrality in China

Amid increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and address the energy crisis, solar power has emerged as a key alternative to fossil fuels. China possesses extensive abandoned open-pit mines suitable for photovoltaic (PV) power development; however, their carbon mitigation and energy conservation potential remains largely underutilized. In this study, we develop an integrated model to quantify the life-cycle carbon mitigation potential of PV systems on these mines, combining PV power generation with ecological restoration of mine sites. The results indicate that developing PV systems on abandoned open-pit mines in China could generate 1.34-2.93 EJ yr-1 of renewable energy and reduce CO2 emissions by 278.85-613.79 Mt yr-1, accounting for 5.9%-12.8% of China’s coal-fired power generation and 2.8%-6.2% of its carbon emissions in 2020. Replacing conventional electricity with PV power yields greater carbon mitigation (611.63 t CO2 ha-1) than bioenergy alternatives, including biopower (102.96 t CO2 ha-1), ethanol (61.99 t CO2 ha-1), and biodiesel (17.13 t CO2 ha-1). Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Shandong, Hebei, Guangxi, and Yunnan were identified as key provinces with high renewable energy production and corresponding CO2 mitigation potential, collectively contributing 44%-45% of the total mitigation potential. Overall, an energy-oriented ecological restoration model, such as the “PV+” scenarios for abandoned open-pit mines, is economically feasible. This study provides geographically tailored information to help decision-makers optimize the use of multifunctional land resources, supporting the green transformation of the mining industry and advancing China’s dual carbon targets.