Marine Photovoltaic Industry Development: A Review of its Impact on Aquatic Environmental Elements and Future Perspectives

With renewables, marine photovoltaic (PV) harnessing solar energy gains momentum, promising vast ocean space for power generation with significant benefits.Recent studies indicate that while marine PV systems are designed to address environmental challenges, they can also cause unintended ecological consequences. Mitigating potential negative impacts on aquatic environments has therefore become a critical research priority. This study focuses on three key aspects of these environments: trace elements, water temperature, and aquatic organisms. It provides a critical review of the literature based on a systematic search and a bibliometric analysis of 406 relevant publications on marine PV systems. The main conclusions include the following: (1) The marine PV industry has huge development potentials, and the installed capacity is anticipated to grow by more than 22% annually. (2) In terms of trace elements in water, the installation of piled PV power station will inevitably disturb the underwater sediments, reducing the water’s transparency and cause pollution to the water body;(3) In terms of water temperature, different PV layouts on the same water surface will produce diverse cumulative effects temporally and spatially. Consequently, PV power plant operations alter water temperature, thereby impacting seawater hydrology; and (4) In terms of aquatic organisms, PV plant deployment alters water light distribution, directly impacting phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance, vertical spread, and size, thereby affecting biological growth. The problems are discussed and summarized to foster sustainable progress in marine PV development. Despite these efforts, current research still lacks comprehensive analysis of emerging pollutants such as microplastics and long-term ecological impacts. Future work should prioritize interdisciplinary studies that integrate field experiments, ecosystem modeling, and policy frameworks to ensure the sustainable deployment of marine PV systems.