- Floating solar and bird life.
- A paper from the University of California, Davis, published in the journal Nature Water, is amongst the first to outline key considerations.
- Observations have been mostly positive for birds and humans.
Floating photovoltaic solar energy presents an opportunity to mitigate climate change and spare land for other uses, including conservation. However, understanding of the effects of floating photovoltaics (FPVs) on aquatic ecosystems is currently limited. In fact, so far, only a few studies have empirically tested how wildlife responds to FPV deployment and operation.
The authors present five key considerations spanning both the direct and indirect effects that FPVs can have on waterbirds and the possible ways waterbirds can interact with and directly affect FPV sites. They examine several aspects of FPVs and their deployment and operation, providing insight into FPV–waterbird dynamics, potential mitigation strategies, and viable concessions for conservation as water surfaces become a more widespread recipient environment for renewable energy.
Five considerations
Drawing from their scientific field observations of birds interacting with floating PV systems, the authors examined various ways such systems could impact birds, and vice versa. They concluded that future research on FPV-waterbirds interactions should examine:
- How waterbirds interact with each part of the floating PV infrastructure.
- The direct and indirect effects waterbirds and floating solar projects may have on each other.
- How bird conservation strategies may vary by site, region or season.
- How to best monitor waterbirds at floating solar sites.
- The potential for pollutants to be released or leached from floating solar infrastructure and what can be done to mitigate risks.
The study was funded by the UC Office of the President’s California Climate Action Seed Grant, Enel Green Power, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Geological Survey.
Link to the full study HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
