The construction of China's largest offshore solar project to date officially began in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Sunday.

The 2-million-kilowatt photovoltaic demonstration farm has received a total investment of 9.88 billion yuan ($1.39 billion). It is also the largest three-dimensional layered sea-based project in China, with an approved sea area of around 1,868 hectares.

Once completed, the project is expected to save around 680,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.77 million tonnes annually, according to the China National Nuclear Corporation.