Floating solar is a subset of the solar industry in which solar panels are moored on the surface of water. While the practice can add more renewable energy to the United States grid without taking up valuable space on land, bodies of water are not free of conflict. Solar projects can encounter competition from recreation and habitat conservation priorities, for example. Still, new opportunities for site selection that prioritizes the local environment and biodiversity are emerging as the technology improves and the knowledge base grows.

The Pluses and Minuses of Floating Solar

All else being equal, floating solar has three key advantages over land-based solar arrays. For the developer, water presents a flat surface, reducing site preparation costs. For the property owner, it can provide an opportunity to extract more value from underused facilities. And for land conservationists, it presents a significant means of expanding the nation’s renewable energy profile without impinging on land.

The situation is more complicated in terms of wildlife conservation. Solar panels can have a beneficial cooling effect on aquatic life, helping to prevent algae blooms while reducing evaporation. But researchers at Oregon State University recently found that water conditions can vary greatly in a study of 11 reservoirs across six states.

“Different reservoirs are going to respond differently,” Evan Bredeweg, lead author of the study, told the university’s newsroom. “There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for designing these systems. It’s ecology — it’s messy.”

Similarly, researchers warn that sites for floating solar must be carefully selected to avoid impacts on bird populations, particularly water birds. A Cornell University study of 16,000 sites along the Atlantic flyway bird migration route from New England to Virginia indicates that larger sites with higher energy potential are not as likely to come into conflict with birds, while still cautioning that smaller bodies pose a greater risk of bird interactions.

“Based on our findings, it could be possible to reduce risk to birds via ecologically informed siting, and that might not instill a reduction in energy production,” Steven Grodsky, assistant professor at the university, told the Cornell Chronicle.

Read the full article about floating solar by Tina Casey at TriplePundit.