Addressing pressing issues such as global climate change, dwindling fossil fuel reserves, and energy structure transitions, there is a global consensus on harnessing photovoltaic (PV) technology. As PV projects burgeon, they intensify the demand for land resources. Given land's scarcity, its efficient use for PV becomes paramount. Delving into the. ••Analyzed China's land classifications for PV opportunities and challenges.••Revealed restrictions on PV in cropland, wetlands and forest land.••Emphasis on waste land and coastal marine PV projects.••Exploring innovative 'PV + Land' approaches.••Comprehensive study of China's diverse PV land types.PhotovoltaicPV Land-usePV potentialDifferent land typesAgricultural photovoltaic complementaryFishery complementary photovoltaicForest photovoltaic complementaryUnused landPV PhotovoltaicBIPV Building-integrated photovoltaicBAPV Building attached photovoltaicWPV water photovoltaicSPV Stationary photovoltaicSBIPV Policy support and technological innovation have propelled the large-scale development of renewable energy generation, with the total renewable energy capacity reaching 3382 GW in 2022. The global solar power capacity has reached 1.062 billion KW. The European Union has formulated a long-term strategy to surpass coal-based electricity generation and become the global leader in PV installations by 2027. Furthermore, by 2050, there is a target to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 80–95 %.Land is a fundamental resource for the deployment of PV systems, and PV power projects are established on various types of land. As of the end of 2022, China has amassed an impressive 390 million kW of installed PV capacity, occupying approximately 0.8 million km2 of land. With the continuous growth in the number and scale of installed PV power stations in China, the demand for land dedicated to PV is also on the rise. By the year 2060, it is projected that China's PV installed capacity will exceed 3 billion kW [5,6]. This brings up a crucial question: How much land will be required to achieve the 3 billion kW target for PV installations?China's PV installations are primarily situated between latitudes 18°N and 60°N. When calculated based on an average latitude of 30°N, for every 10,000 kW o.
