TRACKING THE RISE OF FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY ON GLOBAL AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

Floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) are emerging as one of the fastest-growing water-based energy technologies worldwide. Yet despite this rapid proliferation, our understanding of how, where, and under what conditions FPV is deployed—and how these installations interact with aquatic ecosystems—remains fragmented. This opening talk will provide a global overview of FPV development, synthesizing trends in growth, geography, and system design. Using a novel remote sensing-derived global database of more than 3,000 FPV systems, we will characterize the primary types of water bodies being used, typical project sizes and construction patterns, and regional trajectories of expansion. We will also outline the major ecological and biogeochemical questions emerging from this growth, including how shading, altered thermal regimes, and hydrological changes may influence ecosystem processes. By situating FPV within both its technological promise and its environmental uncertainties, this presentation will establish a foundation for the session and highlight priority knowledge gaps for future research.

Presentation Preference: Standard Oral (12 Minutes)

Primary Presenter: Rafael Almeida, Indiana University (rafalmei@iu.edu)

Authors:

Rafael Almeida, Indiana University  (rafalmei@iu.edu)

Aline Valerio, Indiana University  (ademato@iu.edu)