The Feasibility Analysis of “Ecological Photovoltaics” from Coal Gangue Mountains

Abstract

Coal gangue is a byproduct of coal mining, and has been piled up for years in China, forming thousands of coal gangue hills, which have become an important part of abandoned mining areas. In recent years, the government has issued various policies on the ecological restoration of coal gangue hills and provided economic support. However, relying solely on policies and economic support is not a long-term solution. The key is to improve the production efficiency of coal gangue hills and promote their sustainable development. This paper conducts on-site investigations of coal gangue hills and makes proposals from the perspective of ecology and economic benefits. Firstly, it is suitable to install photovoltaics on coal gangue hills, especially those located far from residential areas, with convenient transportation and maintenance and the orientation of the coal gangue mountain. Secondly, based on the preliminary ecological restoration of coal gangue hills, a design scheme of laying photovoltaic cells on the slopes of coal gangue hills and developing ecological platforms through planting is proposed. The feasibility is explored by constructing a net present value economic calculation. The results show that the use of a slope photovoltaic laying design scheme is not only conducive to ecological development, but also can cover the daily maintenance costs of coal gangue hill ecological restoration and produce certain economic benefits. With the expansion of the scale and the improvement of location conditions, the economic benefits will also increase.