Power generated from photovoltaic (PV) modules in water at a fish farm in Wenzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, has been connected to the grid, combining offshore aquaculture with clean-energy power generation.

More than 1.4 million photovoltaic modules covering a water area of about 4.7 square km turn the tidal flat area into a power station with an installed capacity of 550 MW.

The project contributes to an increase of 26 percent clean energy power generation in the Wenzhou Power Grid, equivalent to cutting 648,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, otherwise made from thermal power generation.

The fish farm power station is expected to send 650 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to the grid on average each year, enough to supply power for 130,000 households.

"PV modules can also be used to help regulate water temperature and oxygen content in the water area, making it more suitable for sea-water aquiculture," said Wang Hairong, manager of Wenzhou Taihan fishery and photovoltaic complementary project.

He said that another PV power station will be put into use in the tidal flat area next year.