Caitlin Hayes
Cornell Chronicle
Floating solar, the practice of placing solar panels on bodies of water, can generate even more electricity per square foot than terrestrial solar. But researchers are just starting to understand the impacts of floating solar on biodiversity and climate – so how should the new technology be implemented? At what pace, extent and at what costs?
kAmx? 2 ?6H DEF5J[ C646?E=J AF3=:D965 :? r6== #6A@CED $FDE2:?23:=:EJ[ C6D62C496CD 7@F?5 D:8?:7:42?E A@E6?E:2= 6?6C8J 82:?D 7C@> FD:?8 7=@2E:?8 D@=2C :? E96 }@CE962DE6C? &?:E65 $E2E6D 2?5 2=D@ >@56= H92E >:89E 36 D24C:7:465 :? E6C>D @7 3:@5:G6CD:EJ[ 4=:>2E6 C6D:=:6?46 2?5 C64C62E:@?] x>A@CE2?E=J E96 DEF5J AC@G:56D 2 7C2>6H@C< 7@C :?4@CA@C2E:?8 D@4:2= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@?D:56C2E:@?D :?E@ 52E2 2?2=JD:D 2?5 564:D:@?\>2<:?8 23@FE C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J E649?@=@8:6D]k^Am
kAm“(:E9 E9:D DEF5J[ H6 H2?E65 E@ E9:?< >@C6 9@=:DE:42==J 23@FE E96 D@4:2= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 2EEC:3FE6D @7 H2E6C3@5:6D[ :?DE625 @7 ;FDE E9:?<:?8 23@FE H9:49 @?6D AC@G:565 E96 =@H6DE\4@DE D@=2C 2?5 E96 8C62E6DE 6?6C8J 86?6C2E:@? A@E6?E:2=[” D2:5 7:CDE 2FE9@C 2?5 A@DE5@4E@C2= C6D62C496C p52> v2==296C] “%96 7C2>6H@C< 4@F=5 36 2AA=:65 E@ @E96C E649?@=@8:6D – :E’D C62==J 23@FE F?56CDE2?5:?8 9@H E96D6 DJDE6>D :?E6C24E H:E9 E96 =2?5D42A6 2?5 H92E EC256\@77D H6 >:89E 92G6 E@ >2<6 :? E96 7FEFC6]”k^Am
