From a small California winery to a large-scale energy project in China, floating photovoltaics — or “floatovoltaics”— are gaining in popularity.
From a small California winery to a large-scale energy project in China, floating photovoltaics — or “floatovoltaics”— are gaining in popularity. Commonly installed over artificial water bodies, from irrigation ponds and reservoirs to wastewater treatment plants, floating solar projects can maximize space for producing clean energy while sparing natural lands.
But where there is water, there are waterbirds. Little is known about the impacts — positive or negative — floating solar projects may have on birds and other wildlife. A paper from the University of California, Davis, published in the journal Nature Water, is among the first to outline key considerations to better align renewable energy and biodiversity goals.
Birds face many threats — from habitat loss and climate change to pollution and avian influenza — and many populations are in decline.
Read More: University of California - Davis
A little blue heron, which are white as juveniles, peers into the water for food. (Photo Credit: Rebecca R. Hernandez, UC Davis)
