Floating solar panels on the oceans

Can solar panels float on the sea and still be kind to marine life? 🌊 In the near future, floating solar panels might be installed on the North Sea between wind farms to boost green energy production. But what will happen to the marine organisms living underneath? 🐟🦪

Ee Zin Ong (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) is investigating how these floating solar panels will affect marine ecosystems, focusing on whether they might create habitats for mussels and oysters or disturb local wildlife. By studying different floater materials, the goal is to design eco-friendly structures that generate energy without harming marine life.