Assessing the sustainable development potential of rooftop agrivoltaics: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration

Qunyue Liu, Taoyu Chen, Ni Zhang, Zhiqian Lin, Zubin Ye, Kunneng Jiang, Yaling Gao, Yourui Guo and Aifang Weng

Energy, 2025, vol. 320, issue C

Abstract: Rooftop agrivoltaics (RAV) integrate clean energy and food production, addressing "zero food miles" while contributing to urban sustainability. This study proposes a multidisciplinary framework to quantify RAV's sustainable development potential and assess its contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the Yangtze River Delta, RAV spans 10,720 km2, generating 9.307 × 1010 kWh of electricity annually (6.3 % of the region's demand), producing 4.358 × 107 tons of lettuce (meeting the nutritional needs of 871,567 people), creating 23.36 million jobs, and reducing 1.268 × 108 t CO2 emissions (offsetting 7.47 % of annual emissions). The associated environmental benefits amount to 874.6 billion CNY per year. By 2030, under urban expansion and energy transition scenarios, electricity output could rise to 1.04 × 1011 kWh, carbon reduction to 2.8 × 108 t CO2, and crop yields to 4.844 × 107 tons. These findings demonstrate RAV's transformative potential for economic, environmental, and urban planning benefits, advancing sustainable urban development.

Keywords: Rooftop agrivoltaics; Rooftop agriculture; Clean energy; Sustainable development goals (SDGs); Potential assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225008333

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135191

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