Covering 10% of the world’s hydropower reservoirs with ‘floatovoltaics’ would install as much electrical capacity as is currently available for fossil-fuel power plants. But the environmental and social impacts must be assessed.
Shading a large proportion of a reservoir could trigger cascading effects. Reduced light makes it harder for photosynthetic organisms such as aquatic plants and phytoplankton to flourish, and this might be beneficial in nutrient-polluted reservoirs where harmful algae proliferate. However, the reduced production of oxygen could harm fish and other animals. Extreme oxygen depletion would favour methane-producing bacteria, which could offset decarbonization benefits.
Floating solar arrays might mar the scenery and curb the recreational use of reservoirs, leading to falls in local property prices; floatovoltaic developers will thus probably face resistance from nearby landowners. Social scientists should catalogue such concerns and work out the conditions that would make floatovoltaic projects acceptable to the public.Technical challenges could increase costs for developers.
Variable water levels can also be a challenge. For example, lakes Mead and Powell are more than 40 metres below their full levels following persistent droughts in the southwestern United States. Such fluctuations could be exacerbated by climate change. Drinking-water supply and irrigation needs would probably override the desire to maintain stable water levels for floatovoltaics. Engineering solutions need to be developed and factored into project costs.
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