C32 - Performance, Hydrological, and Biodiversity Aspects of Floating Photovoltaic Solar Energy

Floating photovoltaics (FPV) has emerged as a viable and deployable renewable energy technology in many places around the world. Increasing land prices and land scarcity, along with claims of improved system performance, are among the reasons for FPV popularity. However, documented research on the performance, durability, or environmental impacts of FPV is limited. While the performance of land-based PV systems (LPV) can be effectively predicted, little work has been done on how, or if, these same evaluation methodologies translate to FPV. Additionally, studies evaluating the durability of FPV and its ecological impacts on water quality and biodiversity are scarce. Through detailed instrumentation of four existing FPV systems and four LPV systems that will serve as control sites (eight sites total), this project will undertake a first-of-its-kind systematic and comprehensive collection of FPV-related techno-ecological data in North America. These data will be used to examine FPV performance, assess potential environmental risks and benefits, and provide data that can aid in the development of research protocols to more fully understand the impacts of FPV.