Jiangsu Rudong’s "Fishery-Photovoltaic Integration" Model: Solar Panels Breed "Golden Fish," Quintupling Output Value per Acre

On the coastal mudflats of Rudong, Jiangsu, 160,000 solar panels stretch like blue waves, while beneath them thrives another world—4-meter-deep ponds teeming with Australian lobsters, Chinese mitten crabs, and California bass. This 3,000-acre "Fishery-Photovoltaic Integration" project achieves a dual-purpose economy: generating 420 million kWh of electricity annually while producing aquatic products worth over 180 million yuan. Our on-site investigation reveals the secrets behind this "one resource, two industries" innovation.

I. Technological Breakthrough: "Time-Sharing" Sunlight

Specialized Component Design

Dual-glass modules with 30% light transmittance ensure underwater illumination of 8,000–10,000 lux

Support piles double as aerator mounts, spaced precisely at 8m×4m (accommodating fishing boats)

Smart tracking system: panels tilt up in summer to reduce shading, flatten in winter for optimal power

Aquaculture Optimization

Panel shading lowers water temperature by 3–5°C in summer, reducing fish heat stress

Solar-powered nano-bubble aerators maintain dissolved oxygen above 6mg/L

AI feeding systems with underwater cameras enable precision feeding

II. Economic Gains: A 1+1>2 Formula

Metric Traditional Pond Fishery-PV Increase

Annual output/acre ¥8,000 ¥46,000 475%

Profit/unit area ¥3,000 ¥12,000 300%

Payback period - 5.2 years -

Source: Rudong Agriculture Bureau 2023

Energy income: ¥230 million/year (including green power subsidies)

Aquaculture premium: 30% markup for "PV-certified" eco-labeled products

Carbon revenue: 350,000-ton CO₂ reduction/year, earning ¥8 million in carbon trading

III. Ecological Renaissance: From Barren Land to "Blue Granary"

Environmental Remediation

Panel shading reduces water evaporation, lowering salinity from 8‰ to 3‰

Algae growth under panels enriches the food chain, reviving wild carp populations

Biodiversity Boost

Attracts egrets and other birds, creating a "PV-bird-fish" symbiotic system

Benthic biomass in pilot zones increased 2.3-fold

IV. Operational Innovation: Digital Life of "PV Fishermen"

New-Age Training

200 local fishermen retrained as "PV-aquaculture engineers," mastering water quality monitors

Monthly tech exchanges on "PV + fisheries" integration

Smart Management

Real-time monitoring of power generation and fish growth via mobile app

Blockchain traceability tracks fry stocking, feed sources, and harvesting