Floating solar can add about 50 times more new hard surface to the sea per gigawatt than offshore wind, and mussels, anemones, and baby jellyfish may be among the first creatures to move in

The offshore deployment of floating solar offers distinct benefits, but it also affects the marine environment.

Rising electricity consumption worldwide is necessitating an increase in alternative ocean-based clean energy production.

Offshore wind has been leading the shift toward marine power generation, but other technologies are quickly gaining momentum.

This would establish a framework for analyzing the installations’ effect on pelagic food webs, hydrodynamic conditions, and light penetration.

Floating photovoltaics are among them, but widespread deployment requires comprehensive environmental footprint evaluation.

Will this technology prove to be a sustainable novelty across international waters?

How ocean-based electricity generation will power the future

Electricity consumption continues to increase as the world becomes more modernized.

Widespread electrification is occurring, signaling that society is becoming more technologically advanced.

Different sectors are adopting digital networks and computerized infrastructure.

This evolution requires a substantial amount of power to sustain operations.

Data centers, in particular, are high electricity consumers, as they process the heavy loads of artificial intelligence activities.

To ensure that the ever-rising energy demands are met sustainably, renewable energy capacity must expand.

Green energy resources are key to replacing fossil fuels in power generation.

Unfortunately, land-based renewable generation faces major spatial bottlenecks.

Viable land is growing scarcer. This is why the energy sector often competes with urbanization, agriculture, and conservation.

As a result, developers are turning away from crowded land areas, triggering an increase in offshore deployment.

Not only does this overcome land-based barriers, but it also significantly raises power output potential.

An emerging technology gaining traction over offshore wind

When it comes to generating clean energy over the ocean, offshore wind is the first thing that comes to mind.

The energy source has been leading the global maritime shift.

The world is near its 100-gigawatt capacity milestone, reaching roughly 92.5 gigawatts at the end of 2025.

Beyond meeting international climate targets, offshore wind expansion also significantly raises power output potential.

Turbine towers and blades have become much bigger, capturing strong, consistent winds at higher altitudes.

This has benefited several major coastal hubs with reliable, utility-scale clean electricity.

However, traditional offshore wind deployment alone is no longer enough to meet modern energy needs.

Offshore wind developments require substantial ocean space, and installation is complex and environmentally invasive.

Consequently, this has given way to offshore floating solar power gaining rapid global momentum.

This source has an exceptional energy density, producing 0.4 terawatt-hours per square mile annually.

But it still requires more in-depth assessments of marine environmental impacts.

The consequences of deploying floating solar offshore

Floating solar power is gaining traction in the Netherlands, but ecological impacts raise some concerns.

A research team at Deltares conducted an extensive study.

The goal was to map the consequences of floating solar panels to European marine environmental policy criteria.

This would establish a framework for analyzing the installations’ effect on pelagic food webs, hydrodynamic conditions, and light penetration.

The effects of floating solar structures

The structures modify vertical mixing, disrupt air-ocean interactions, and reduce localized water temperatures through shading.

Additionally, the hard surfaces of the floating platforms create artificial habitats for colonizing organisms.

The first of these organisms to colonize include:

• Baby jellyfish
• Mussels
• Anemones

As a result, dense fouling communities form beneath the arrays.

This adds structural weight, which accelerates mechanical stress.

Furthermore, material corrosion increases, requiring more frequent and expensive maintenance.

Biofouling also alters the local food web by consuming plankton and organic particles in the water column.

The study’s findings indicate that policymakers should add the artificial reef effect and structural weight to regulatory frameworks. Developers should also include environmental monitoring in project phases from the beginning.

Floating solar essentially holds immense promise in the Netherlands, but proactive oversight is needed to manage ecological risks.

Ultimately, smarter maritime planning will help scale offshore floating solar generation while conserving ecosystems.

If you want to review the study, use: Schneider LK, Hendriks E, van Duren LA, Heye S, de Rijk S, Troost TA and Prins TC (2026) Offshore floating photovoltaic: from ecological impact pathways to MSFD criteria. Front. Mar. Sci. 13:1805702. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1805702.