Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus

Floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems have become an increasingly attractive application of photovoltaics (PV) because of land-use constraints, the cost of land and site preparation, and the perceived energy and environmental co-benefits. Despite the increasing interest in FPV systems, a robust...

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Main Authors: Sika Gadzanku, Heather Mirletz, Nathan Lee, Jennifer Daw, Adam Warren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
FPV
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4317
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spelling doaj-0dd5aa5cbb9445a3bc8b93ee9e32a79d2021-04-13T23:03:41ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502021-04-01134317431710.3390/su13084317Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food NexusSika Gadzanku0Heather Mirletz1Nathan Lee2Jennifer Daw3Adam Warren4National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USAFloating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems have become an increasingly attractive application of photovoltaics (PV) because of land-use constraints, the cost of land and site preparation, and the perceived energy and environmental co-benefits. Despite the increasing interest in FPV systems, a robust validation of their suggested co-benefits and impacts on the nexus of energy, water, and food (EWF) systems is lacking. This information gap makes it challenging for decision makers to justify its adoption—potentially suppressing FPV deployment. To address this gap and to help de-risk this PV deployment opportunity, we (1) review the suggested co-benefits of FPV systems with a focus on the impacts that could alleviate pressures on EWF systems and (2) identify areas where further research is needed to reduce uncertainty around FPV system performance. Our review reveals that EWF nexus-relevant co-benefits, such as improved panel efficiency and reduced land usage, are corroborated in the literature, whereas others, such as water quality impacts, lack empirical evidence. Our findings indicate that further research is needed to quantify the water-related and broader economic, environmental, social, sustainability, justice, and resilience co-benefits and impacts of FPV systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4317floating solarFPVphotovoltaicsrenewable energywater securityfood security
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sika Gadzanku
Heather Mirletz
Nathan Lee
Jennifer Daw
Adam Warren
spellingShingle Sika Gadzanku
Heather Mirletz
Nathan Lee
Jennifer Daw
Adam Warren
Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
Sustainability
floating solar
FPV
photovoltaics
renewable energy
water security
food security
author_facet Sika Gadzanku
Heather Mirletz
Nathan Lee
Jennifer Daw
Adam Warren
author_sort Sika Gadzanku
title Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
title_short Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
title_full Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
title_fullStr Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
title_full_unstemmed Benefits and Critical Knowledge Gaps in Determining the Role of Floating Photovoltaics in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus
title_sort benefits and critical knowledge gaps in determining the role of floating photovoltaics in the energy-water-food nexus
publisher MDPI AG
series Sustainability
issn 2071-1050
publishDate 2021-04-01
description Floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems have become an increasingly attractive application of photovoltaics (PV) because of land-use constraints, the cost of land and site preparation, and the perceived energy and environmental co-benefits. Despite the increasing interest in FPV systems, a robust validation of their suggested co-benefits and impacts on the nexus of energy, water, and food (EWF) systems is lacking. This information gap makes it challenging for decision makers to justify its adoption—potentially suppressing FPV deployment. To address this gap and to help de-risk this PV deployment opportunity, we (1) review the suggested co-benefits of FPV systems with a focus on the impacts that could alleviate pressures on EWF systems and (2) identify areas where further research is needed to reduce uncertainty around FPV system performance. Our review reveals that EWF nexus-relevant co-benefits, such as improved panel efficiency and reduced land usage, are corroborated in the literature, whereas others, such as water quality impacts, lack empirical evidence. Our findings indicate that further research is needed to quantify the water-related and broader economic, environmental, social, sustainability, justice, and resilience co-benefits and impacts of FPV systems.
topic floating solar
FPV
photovoltaics
renewable energy
water security
food security
url https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4317
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