An aerial view of the photovoltaic project erected over tidal flats in the western part of Gaotang Island in Ningbo's Xiangshan county. [Photo/people.cn]

A photovoltaic project eracted over tidal flats in the western part of Gaotang Island in Xiangshan county was put into operation on June 29.

The project, the largest of its kind in the nation, is expected to generate an average of 340 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 270,000 metric tons per year and aiding Xiangshan's goal of being powered solely by clean energies by 2025.

Official statistics show that photovoltaic power has become the second largest source of electricity in Zhejiang after thermal power. More than one seventh of the electricity in the province is provided by solar energy. Ningbo is leading Zhejiang in terms of installed photovoltaic capacity.

In the photovoltaic project in Xiangshan, 637,000 photovoltaic panels were installed over more than 4,500 mu (300 hectares) of tidal flats, an area equivalent to 422 football fields.

This model makes it possible to generate photovoltaic power and breed aquatic products at the same time and same place.

In addition, the panels over the water surfaces create an ideal living environment for the fishes that thrive in dim light and low water temperature.

Zhejiang aims to install more than 27.5 million kilowatts of photovoltaic power by 2025.

Workers walk on a pathway at the photovoltaic project erected over tidal flats in the western part of Gaotang Island in Ningbo's Xiangshan county. [Photo/people.cn]