Solar energy is the technology used to harness the suns energy and make it useable. Renewable energy and the environment robert foster, james witcher, vaughn nelson, majid ghassemi, luz elena mimbela, abbas ghassemi drawing on the authors extensive research and project implementation around the globe, solar energy. Environmental impacts of utilityscale solar energy. Pdf solar energy technologies offer a clean, renewable, and domestic energy source, and are essential components of a sustainable energy future. Pdf a b s t r a c t renewable energy is a promising alternative to fossil fuel based energy, but its development can require a complex set of. Environmental impacts from the solar energy systems taylor. Renewable energy sources have a large potential to contribute to the sustainable development by providing them with a wide variety of socioeconomic and environmental benefits. Pdf environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies. Solar energy technologies are essential components of a sustainable energy future.
Renewable energy and the environment crc press book drawing on the authors extensive research and project implementation around the globe, solar energy. Renewable sources of energy are currently unevenly and insufficiently exploited. As of 2011, the technology produced less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand. The multiple benefits of energy efficiency and renewable.
A solar energy system that consists of integrating solar pv modules into the building envelope, where the solar panels themselves act as a building material roof shingles or structural element i. This paper is a product of the environment and energy team, development research. Pdf environmental impacts from the solar energy systems. Renewable energy is a promising alternative to fossil fuelbased energy, but its development can require. Fossil fuelscoal, oil, and natural gasdo substantially more harm than renewable energy sources by most measures, including air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions. The monetary impacts due to environmental degradation and public health impacts seem far removed from the apparent sticker price of electricity. Meeting renewable energy targets whilst protecting biodiversity. However, some toxic materials and chemicals are used to make the photovoltaic pv cells that convert sunlight into electricity. Renewable energy renewable energy energy efficiency. Monetizing the environmental health benefits of solar could add 3. Some states also consider lowimpact or small hydro, biomass, biogas, and wastetoenergy to be renewable energy sources. Keywords environmental impact, renewable energy, solar energy systems. Renewable energy sources wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal, etc.
Renewable energy and the environment covers solar energy resources, thermal and photovoltaic systems, and the economics involved in using solar energy. The exploitation and utilization of energy greatly impact the environment. Renewable energy definitions vary by state, but usually include wind, solar, and geothermal energy. Among these sources, solar energy comes at the top of the list due to its.
Energy and the environmentseries editor abbas ghassemi new mexico state universitypublished titlessolar energy. All energy sources have some impact on our environment. Pdf effects of energy utilization on the environment. This report will investigate the environmental impacts associated with wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal power. Environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies.
Using solar energy can have a positive, indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources that have larger effects on the environment. Some 82% of the commercial energy consumed in the world comes from non renewable energy. Pdf environmental impacts of utilityscale solar energy. Pdf environmental impacts from the solar energy technologies. Renewable energy up 9% on 2018 but nuclear outages are limiting progress, report warns published.
1165 1312 1379 565 921 1003 377 933 619 756 1451 200 442 456 1018 640 760 1008 525 703 655 182 1037 1195 458 56 1145 576 1386 270 971 413