Abstract: By coupling intermittent characteristics of rural sewage discharge, SBR operation and solar energy density, a simulated photovoltaic intermittent aeration system without batteries was proposed to study its feasibility to replace conventional aeration and reduce the dependence of wastewater treatment plants on the grid. SBR was utilized to treat domestic wastewater pretreated by the anaerobic/aerobic process. A systematic study of the start-up of nitrification in SBR using the novel aeration method and the influence of aeration rates, HRTs and temperatures on nitrification performance was carried out. The results showed that the removal of NH₄⁺-N could be achieved under different operating conditions. DO concentration was the dominant factor affecting the nitrification process. Under the low aeration rate condition (i.e., aeration rate 0.6 L/min, temperature 20 ℃, HRT 13 h and 16 h) and high water temperature condition (i.e., aeration rate 0.8 L/min, temperature 30 ℃, HRT 16 h), the DO concentration remained at a relatively low level (<3 mg/L). Therefore, the NH₄⁺-N removal rate decreased, and there was a certain degree of NO₂^--N accumulation. Through monitoring the DO, pH and E_h, the results indicated that the E_h curves varied irregularly. However, DO and pH in one operating cycle showed obvious patterns and corresponded well with the nitrification process, so they could be used as real-time control parameters to control the nitrification aeration process.