TED Talks Daily The powerful promise of Earth’s harshest places | Lei Zhang
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Aug 5, 2025 Clean energy visionary Lei Zhang explores the untapped potential of Earth's harshest landscapes, particularly the Gobi Desert. He highlights how these extreme environments can provide abundant solar and wind energy, essential for humanity's future. By sharing insights on one of the largest green hydrogen projects, Zhang emphasizes the promise of transforming barren areas into energy hubs. He encourages innovative thinking and collective action to tackle the climate crisis and unlock sustainable energy solutions.
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Lei Zhang's Gobi Desert Vision
- Lei Zhang loves the Gobi Desert because he believes it can fuel humanity's next leap forward with renewable energy.
- While others see barrenness, he sees an abundant resource for clean energy innovation.
Energy Drives Prosperity
- Abundant renewable energy in harsh places like deserts can drive civilization's prosperity.
- Economic growth correlates directly with energy consumption, which renewables can massively increase.
Harness Desert Energy Smartly
- Capture rough desert winds with wind turbines designed to survive harsh conditions.
- Avoid costly long-distance grid lines by integrating wind, solar, and storage into off-grid renewable systems using AI.