Floating photovoltaics. Fish are happy to use it
It’s not about a sea of solar panels, but about solar panels at sea or on lakes. A side effect of such installations is relief for the fish.
A floating photovoltaic installation installed on a salmon farm off the coast of Chile (Huar Norte in the Los Lagos region) was intended to reduce carbon dioxide levels, noise and diesel fuel consumption. It quickly became apparent that thousands of fish quickly began to gather under the solar panels that create shade.
The investment, which was supposed to improve the energy efficiency of the facility, unexpectedly influenced the behavior of fish and the local ecosystem. As it turns out, the sun and rising temperatures do not only bother people.
Fish don’t like heat. They migrate or change size under the influence of temperature
Too much fishing and water pollution are not the only problems for fish in the 21st century. The rising water temperature is also one. The average global sea and ocean surface temperature reached a record high in June 2026 20.98 degrees Celsiuswhich, according to the EU’s ocean observation and monitoring program Copernicus Marine Service, is the highest value in the history of measurements.
This is very disturbing news because the oceans are a key regulator of the Earth’s climate – they absorb about 90 percent. excess heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions.
Warming waters are causing fish around the world to move to where the water is cooler and more oxygenated. Some change their size – they dwarf, which increases their chances of surviving heat stress by almost 80%. When they are smaller, they need less food and less oxygen.
Floating solar panels protect fish. They are looking for shade and respite
Another phenomenon was observed at Mowi’s salmon farm – salmon began to gather under the photovoltaic panels. Shaded places have become a natural shelter for them, where fish are more willing to stay for a longer time.
Similar behavior has also been previously observed in other locations, including in the case of cod using the shade created by floating solar installations. However, experience from Chile shows that floating photovoltaic farms can simultaneously support the energy transformation and have a positive impact on the marine environment.
