Abstract

It is proposed that power companies, in fiscal and managerial cooperation with local land use agencies, such as the Army Corps of Engineers (the Corp, US-ACE) and Water Management Districts investigate, design, build and operate a co-operative solar power generation array over large constructed wetlands, also known as Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs). Collocation of photovoltaic solar generation and STAs will lessen overall land use. Increasing the use of grid-tied solar energy is required to come in line with the KYOTO Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Increasing constructed wetland area will go far in mitigating the nutrient pollution that leads to harmful algal blooms and other ecological impacts. Data discussed herein reveals that Subaquatic Vegetation (SAV) and its periphyton in filtering marshes receive too much incoming solar radiation (INSOLATION) and synthesize large quantities of Photoprotective Pigments (PPP) to decrease and/or eliminate photoinhibition. Therefore, periphyton-based filtering marshes located under semi-transparent solar arrays should perform well.