In the present study, a new technology that coupled constructed wetland (CW) with microbial fuel cell (MFC) (CW-MFC) was developed to convert solar energy into electricity on the principles of photosynthetic MFC by utilizing root exudates of <i >Ipomoea aquatica</i> as part of fuel. The maximum power density of 12.42 mW m<sup >−2</sup> produced from the CW-MFC planted with <i >Ipomoea aquatica</i> was 142% higher than that of 5.13 mW m<sup >−2</sup> obtained from the unplanted CW-MFC. The maximum power output for the planted CW-MFC could be divided into two parts: the maximum power yield from <svg style="vertical-align:-3.3525pt;width:44.875px;" id="M1" height="15.6" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 44.875 15.6" width="44.875" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.363)"><path id="x43" d="M614 175l29 -10q-33 -109 -57 -154q-121 -26 -184 -26q-90 0 -160.5 29t-112.5 77t-63.5 105.5t-21.5 119.5q0 157 108 253t277 96q36 0 71.5 -5t69 -13.5t36.5 -8.5q15 -102 20 -150l-29 -8q-20 79 -66.5 114t-128.5 35q-119 0 -187.5 -86t-68.5 -207
q0 -140 73.5 -227.5t188.5 -87.5q73 0 119.5 37.5t86.5 116.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,11.469,11.363)"><path id="x4F" d="M381 665q131 0 226.5 -93t95.5 -239q0 -158 -96 -253t-238 -95q-137 0 -231 95t-94 238q0 142 92.5 244.5t244.5 102.5zM359 629q-89 0 -151 -74.5t-62 -208.5q0 -141 69 -233t175 -92q90 0 150.5 74t60.5 211q0 152 -69 237.5t-173 85.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,24.031,11.363)"><path id="x44" d="M43 650h280q194 0 282 -85q85 -82 85 -215q0 -173 -123 -267q-107 -83 -297 -83h-236v27q65 5 79.5 19.5t14.5 77.5v402q0 45 -6 62.5t-21.5 24t-57.5 9.5v28zM213 547v-416q0 -55 24.5 -75t81.5 -20q133 0 203 86t70 214q0 80 -30 143t-88 97q-66 41 -170 41
q-62 0 -78 -13q-13 -9 -13 -57z" /></g> <g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,36.525,15.45)"><path id="x1D445" d="M627 18l-10 -26q-79 6 -116 27t-69 76q-41 71 -71 138q-13 29 -27.5 39t-42.5 10h-46l-27 -145q-13 -74 -2.5 -88.5t78.5 -20.5l-6 -28h-271l5 28q66 6 82.5 21.5t30.5 87.5l71 387q12 66 2 78.5t-77 19.5l8 28h233q102 0 147 -29q65 -43 65 -129q0 -69 -45.5 -117
t-115.5 -72q40 -86 66 -133q39 -68 65 -101q28 -37 73 -51zM491 483q0 67 -33.5 101t-91.5 34q-35 0 -51 -10q-13 -8 -20 -48l-45 -245h49q71 0 113 28q79 52 79 140z" /></g> </svg> in the water body was 66.05 KJ Kg<sup >−1</sup>  <svg style="vertical-align:-3.3525pt;width:44.875px;" id="M2" height="15.6" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 44.875 15.6" width="44.875" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.363)"><use xlink:href="#x43"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,11.469,11.363)"><use xlink:href="#x4F"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,24.031,11.363)"><use xlink:href="#x44"/></g> <g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,36.525,15.45)"><use xlink:href="#x1D445"/></g> </svg>, and the maximum power transformation from plant photosynthesis was 2.31 GJ ha<sup >−1</sup> year<sup >−1</sup>. The average COD removal efficiencies were 92.1% and 94.8% in the unplanted CW-MFC and planted CW-MFC, respectively; the average TN removal efficiencies amounted to 54.4% and 90.8% in the unplanted CW-MFC and planted CW-MFC. This research demonstrates that planting <i >Ipomoea aquatica</i> in the CW-MFC achieved a higher power density and nutrient removal of nitrogen simultaneously.