The global potential of aquavoltaics for power generation and offsetting the carbon footprint of freshwater aquaculture

Rising pressures at the energy–food–climate nexus are driving demand for more sustainable production systems. Global inland freshwater aquaculture has rapidly expanded, intensifying greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability challenges. As a potential solution, aquavoltaics—integrating photovoltaics with aquaculture—offers multifunctional benefits, but its global deployment and decarbonization potential remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate satellite observation products with realistic climate-driven photovoltaic system simulations to map the global expansion patterns and installation potential of aquavoltaics. The results revealed a current global aquavoltaics area of 423 km2 by 2023, with China accounting for the overwhelming majority (97%). We estimate that deploying PV with a 40% coverage rate across over 50,000 km² of landside clustering of aquaculture ponds globally could yield an electricity generation potential of 4,143 ± 145 TWh yr-1, sufficient to support energy self-sufficiency in many cities and offset freshwater aquaculture carbon footprint in numerous countries. These findings highlight aquavoltaics as a scalable pathway towards sustainable aquaculture and low-carbon energy futures.