The environmental scientists who have been studying three similar floating solar panels found that there were many life forms dwelling below the photovoltaic panels in the U.S.
These include fish, turtles, frogs, water snakes, and even river otters. The dense shadow cast by the panels made the water relatively cool in the summer season.
Due to the absence of light penetration and surface airflow, the level of dissolved oxygen in the water below the solar panels was relatively low during summers.
Documenting aquatic wildlife beneath floating solar arrays
Scientists monitored three artificial water bodies situated in North America.
Bluegill, largemouth bass, and small minnows took shelter under floating plastic pontoons.
Painted turtles and northern water snakes migrated to metal mounting platforms to bask under the hot rays of the afternoon sun.
River otters made use of the shadows around dark panels to catch fish around coastal ponds.
Floating structures provide artificial habitats for different types of creatures searching for shelter and hunting grounds.
Submerged platforms make the area a paradise for wildlife.
Cooling surface waters during hot summer months
The dark solar panels absorb the solar energy before it reaches the water underneath.
Blocking sunlight has been seen to reduce the temperature of the top layers of water by up to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit on sunny days.
Reduced surface temperature slows down evaporation rates in the water reservoirs and helps save millions of gallons of water each year.
Temperature regulation may end up limiting algal blooms in the water ecosystems for the entire season, but this needs further study.
The artificial shade controls the temperature of the water in the ponds that have shallow freshwater in warm weather.
The solar panels keep the ecosystems safe from warm weather waves.
Measuring dissolved oxygen loss underneath dense panels
These compactly packed panels may end up preventing necessary solar energy from getting to the underwater plants and microalgae.
Without natural light, the water plants would be unable to carry out the process of photosynthesis and supply oxygen to the bottom layers of the water.
The pontoons block any wind from the surface and thus prevent any exchange of oxygen from the atmosphere to the upper layers of the water.
In the highly shaded areas of the panels, the oxygen concentration was below three milligrams per liter during summer evenings.
Balancing clean power generation with pond health
The placement of solar panels is modified by solar engineers to ensure that sunlight and wind can access the surface of the water.
Ensuring there are large gaps of open waterways between rows of panels ensures the natural exchange of gases in the atmosphere throughout the whole pond.
Capping the coverage avoids oxygen starvation while ensuring the generation of lots of renewable energy.
The mechanical aerator of water powered by solar energy increases the amount of oxygen dissolved below arrays.
The smart placement of solar panels saves aquatic life from being harmed while ensuring the goal of renewable energy production.
Outlining the limits of initial floating solar studies
Information collected from three small artificial ponds shows that there are obvious biological and thermal changes due to solar panels.
Small artificial ponds do not mimic the intricate ecological processes that take place in larger natural bodies of water like lakes.
The long-term effects on the sediments or heavy metals from decades of solar panel installation have yet to be fully understood by scientists.
The changes in weather during each season in different climates can cause variation in oxygen depletion and species migrations.
Continuous ecological observation is necessary since the rapid growth of commercial floating solar projects is increasing around the nation.
Floating solar energy offers renewable power and a new home for animals; however, water quality must be protected.
The full study can be found here: Cagle, A. E., Narwold, B. P., Sadro, S., Armstrong, A., Pasquale, G., Di Blasi, M. L. V., & Hernandez, R. R. (2025). Floating photovoltaic solar energy decreases water temperature and near-surface dissolved oxygen. Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 5(4), 045004.
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