Nature conservation impacts of floating PV systems. Preparation of an investigation concept for the nature conservation impacts of floating PV systems in still waters

Photovoltaic (PV) systems on artificial and heavily modified water bodies can also contribute to achieving the expansion targets for renewable energies. First plants are already in operation on artificial still waters, although the nature conservation and aquatic ecology effects of such floating PV plants have hardly been researched so far. In this project, a multi-year study concept will be developed to determine how these plants affect species, habitats and the landscape in the medium and long term. The aim is to improve the state of knowledge in this area.

The concept is intended to identify and evaluate construction-, operation-, plant- and dismantling-related nature conservation impacts of floating PV plants in still waters. Based on a literature research, a preliminary study concept will be developed, which will be made available to the approval authorities as a working aid. Subsequently, detailed methods concerning individual biotic and abiotic parameters as well as the landscape will be developed, and the investigation concept will be concretized. In this project, IÖW is developing an investigation concept for assessing the impact of floating PV plants on the landscape.