Renewable energy: the potential negative socio-environmental impacts
Renewable energy: the potential negative socio-environmental impacts
The increased interest in renewable energy goes beyond climate change issues, being also a response to concerns about the security of energy supply from unanticipated interruptions and the eventual depletion of some primary energy sources such as fossil fuels (1).
Given the role of renewable energies in the discussion of a reliable and sustainable energy future, it is important to understand its main determinants, socio-environmental impacts, and extract implications of results for energy policy (2).
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) renewable energies are the ones obtained from inexhaustible natural sources (3). Those that stand out for their current high deployment are Hydro, Wind and Solar (4)
The Mining Industry is considered one of the most energy intensive sectors, thus, it’s not a surprise that all major mining companies have stablished challenging targets to increase the use of renewable energy, or even to use 100% renewable energy soon (5). What is surprising is that while the global attention has been focused on the adverse environmental impacts of conventional energy sources, the renewable ones, have enjoyed a ‘clean’ image vis a vis socioenvironmental impact.
This short article (more a literature review) aims to challenge the belief that renewable energy sources are as “people friendly” or “environmentally benign” as is commonly believed. Does the fact that renewable energy is considered a better option mean that it is flawless?
It is obviously not advocating that renewable energy should be discarded. Such a view would be as irrational as the one that proclaims renewable energy sources as a totally safe and viable answer to non-renewable sources. Instead, the intention is identifying the potential negative impacts among the most used renewable energy sources, mainly in large-scale projects, to enable plans to reduce or mitigate them.
According to Rahman A. (2022) renewable energy sources (RES) present negative impacts on the environment that cannot be ignored. These attributes include but are not limited to human health, noise, pollution, ozone layer depletion, toxification, flooding, impact on inhabitants, eutrophication, dried up rivers, and deforestation. Based on the analysis, Rahman found that careful selection of RES for electrical power plants is necessary because improper utilization of RES could be very harmful for the environment (6). Sayed (2021) demonstrates the need for a lifecycle approach to energy projects in general, going through all stages: from planning and design to construction and installation and throughout the service life and decommissioning (7).
HYDRO
Hydroelectricity, as a technology, began to be used in the 19th century and predates by many years the growing public awareness of environmental and social issues of hydropower (1). It is currently the most widely used form of renewable energy (8).
With a vast bibliography and numerous references, I would highlight Askari’s publication (2015), that clearly and succinctly identifies the main disadvantages of Hydroelectricity (8):
1. The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed.
2. People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out. This means that they lose their home, farms, and businesses.
3. The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. For example, the building of the Hoover Dam in the USA triggered a few earthquakes and has depressed the earth’s surface at its location.
4. Dams built blocking the course of a river often mean that the water supply downstream of the same river is out of control. This can lead to serious social and governmental problems.
5. Building a large dam alters the natural water table level.
6- Environmental Consequences: The environmental consequences of hydropower are related to interventions in nature due to damming of water, changed water flow and the construction of roads and power lines. Hydroelectric power plants may affect fish is a complex interaction between numerous physical and biological factors.
Some other authors include in the list: noise disturbing the environment, birds in danger, drying of the soil and those concerning energy transportation (9).
Although Şen, Z. (2018) emphasizes that hydroelectric generation is the least harmful to the environment as long as the basic principles are considered in any power plant project (10), there is no doubt that there are challenges for hydropower developers and operators to develop sustainable hydropower projects (9).
Wind Energy
Any means of energy production, in some way, impacts the communities and the environment. Wind energy is no different, however compared to others, its negative impacts can be relatively minor.
Wind turbines practically do not emit emissions during their operation and very little during their manufacture, installation, maintenance, and removal, in addition, wind farms are often built on land that has already suffered the impact of deforestation and, if deactivated, the landscape can be returned to its former condition (11). The specific problem is more related to wind turbines, which impact biodiversity and migratory routes (12).
Another important issue is that good wind sites are often located in remote locations, far from where electricity is needed, energy transport is required, and wind resources can compete with other important land uses (9). It is also emphasized the importance of land policies to guarantee the territorial integrity of traditional communities in areas destined for the deployment of wind energy. Conflicts can be created by denying traditional communities access to resources that sustain livelihoods and cultural identities (14).
For this reason, a system is needed to facilitate the design of wind farms to reduce these negative environmental impacts while maintaining their potential to become economically sustainable (14).
Solar Power
Solar energy systems have attracted the most attention among all other renewable energy systems in recent decades (15). However, the potential negative impacts of the construction and eventual decommissioning of solar power installations include direct wildlife mortality; environmental impacts of fugitive dust and dust suppressants; habitat destruction and modification, including road impacts; and external impacts related to the acquisition, processing, and transportation of construction materials. While potential effects of operating and maintaining facilities include habitat fragmentation and barriers to gene flow, increased noise, electromagnetic field generation, microclimate change, pollution, water consumption and fire (16).
The currently available data are considered insufficient to allow a rigorous assessment of the environmental impact of using solar energy. At a local scale, so little is known about the impacts of solar energy, that extrapolation to larger scales is currently limited by an inadequate amount of scientific data (16).
Therefore, assessments of the potential impacts of solar energy development on the environment have been largely theoretical, to improve data confidence it need to be empirical and well-grounded in science to ensure sustainability.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy is the energy contained as heat in the Earth’s interior, both as natural steam and hot water. It has been exploited for decades to generate electricity for industrial processes (17).
It is considered one of the most promising sources of energy (18) and classified as a clean and sustainable energy source, although its development still has some impact on the environment, mainly related to surface disturbances, the physical effects of fluid withdrawal, heat effects and discharge of chemicals. All these factors affect the biological environment and can affect nearby communities (19).
According to Dhar, A. (2020) there are 4 main environmental challenges to extracting geothermal resources (18).
1. Geothermal power plants have (low) carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia emissions and requires land and water use.
2. Other potential emissions such as mercury, boron and arsenic could result in local and regional environmental consequences, and their impacts are poorly understood on a global scale.
3. Geothermal plants can alter vegetation and wildlife habitat, reducing species diversity and community composition.
4. There are risks of subsidence, induced seismicity, and landslides, with potentially serious consequences.
Dhar emphasizes that the integration of timely reclamation during and after plant operation can significantly contribute to reducing long term reclamation costs while enhancing ecosystem recovery (18).
Bioenergy
Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass, which can be deployed as solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels for a wide range of uses, including transport, heating, electricity production, and cooking (20). The term "biomass" refers to organic matter that comes from plants and animals and it is a renewable energy source, while biofuel refers to any fuel derived from biomass (21)
Biomass has historically been the main source of global energy, primarily for cooking, heating, and small home industries. It is now witnessing a strong renaissance and is currently being used in a myriad of applications, also as biofuels (35). Modern bioenergy technologies have the potential to provide enhanced energy services based on available biomass resources and agricultural residues. Bioenergy's links to food production and security, the environment and economic development are complex (20, 21).
Bioenergy systems can cause both positive and negative effects and their deployment needs to balance a range of environmental, social, and economic objectives that are not always fully compatible. The consequences of bioenergy implementation depend on (i) the technology used; (ii) the location, scales, and pace of implementation; (iii) the land category used (forest, grassland, marginal lands, and crop lands); (iv) the governance systems; and (v) the business models and practices adopted, including how these integrate with or displace the existing land use (20).
Ojima et al, 2009, present four main ways in which bioenergy production negatively impacts people and the environment:
- Direct land-use change
Direct land-use change (LUC) occurs when bioenergy crops displace other crops, pastures, or forests, while ILUC results from bioenergy deployment triggering the conversion to cropland or pasture of lands, somewhere on the globe, to replace a fraction of the displaced crops. Direct LUC to establish biomass cropping systems can increase net GHG emissions, for example if carbon rich ecosystems such as wetlands, forests or natural grasslands are brought into cultivation. Biospheric Carbon losses associated with LUC from some bioenergy schemes can be, in some cases, more than hundred times larger than the annual GHG savings from the assumed fossil fuel replacement (22).
- Climate Change
Some biofuel systems may contribute to climate protection by substitution of fossil fuels and an associated reduction of net CO2e emissions, but the selection of one or more biofuel pathways needs to clearly demonstrate reductions of net emissions to the atmosphere relative to fossil fuel sources.
In addition, biofuel production systems need to develop land management practices and land conversion techniques that minimize emissions of GHG and other aerosols. Conversion of lands containing large carbon stocks accumulated over centuries must be avoided so that carbon emissions from these reservoirs do not occur at a rate that affects the net rate of net losses of CO2e.
Development of biofuel feedstock systems may also affect the biophysical feedbacks of the land surface, resulting in additional climate change effects, and should be avoided. Therefore, analyses of net emissions of CO2e and changes in biophysical factors of the entire biofuel system needs to be evaluated (22).
- Food security
It is recognized that biofuel feedstock production can directly compete with food production. All the current feedstock systems for liquid biofuel conversion are also used as food stocks for human or livestock consumption. The use of food crops for biofuels has affected both the availability and the price of crop commodities. This competition is most acute among disadvantaged communities which are often associated with rural regions of the world.
These communities will be impacted by increased food prices resulting from greater diversion of food crops into the biofuel market. So, it is important to set criteria that reduce the impact of biofuel feedstock production on food security and the agricultural land systems in the different regions of the world (Biofuels Roundtable Sustainability Criteria). As biofuel systems develop to utilize increasingly more diverse feedstocks, additional consideration for potential competition with fiber crops and wood products is needed (22).
- Human well-being
The type of biofuel systems deployed and the economic feasibility of the development strategy within a specific region will impact how local communities are affected. The accessibility of benefits and the share of socioenvironmental impacts taken on by different groups needs to be evaluated to better understand the differential allocation of such benefits and impacts.
Biofuel development may also exacerbate existing inequalities, as gains from the production of biofuels are most likely to go to richer individuals and communities. Without complementary investments in education or employment provisions, displaced farmers will lose their livelihoods and possibly be forced to move to already overcrowded cities.
Biofuels production may also negatively impact communities through environmental degradation (22).
- Environmental impacts
Soil. Biofuels can alter soil quality by modifying soil erosion, compaction, organic matter, soil biota, pH, nutrient leaching and gaseous losses of nutrients (e.g., denitrification).
Air. Current biofuel systems sometimes use fire in land conversion (e.g., palm oil) or preharvest (e.g. sugarcane). These practices can substantially degrade air quality through the production of fine particulate matter and the emission of ozone precursors (e.g., NOx).
Water. Biofuel production can affect water availability, particularly through water use for irrigation or through modifications of evapotranspiration, and water quality, particularly through the contamination of surface and groundwater with fertilizer derived nutrients, pesticides, and herbicides.
Biodiversity. The major concern for biodiversity is the replacement of highly diverse natural and semi-natural ecosystems with biofuel crops which are currently dominated by intensively managed monocultures of very low plant and animal diversity (22).
Ocean energy technology (OET)
Ocean energy technology (OET) has many beneficial aspects such as economic progress, security of supply and reduction of CO2 emissions. It is renewable, less polluting and can produce massive energy compared to other renewable sources (23).
The hydrodynamic characteristics of water flows are determined by a combination of solar and lunar gravitational effects, the morphology of the ocean floor and waves (24). OET also depends on several aspects of ocean waves, such as water temperature, currents, and salinity (23).
The energy is extracted from the tides based on constant and anticipated vertical movements of the water, causing tidal currents, could be converted into kinetic energy to produce electricity. Projects take the form of dams that use turbines to generate electricity as the tide floods a reservoir. When the tide outside the barrier recedes, trapped water can be released via turbines, which generate electricity (25)
Some of the environmental impacts associated with tidal energy include risk of collision with migratory and mobile marine species, electromagnetic fields, noise, habitat loss, reduced visual amenity, and change in sediment distribution. One possible area that will potentially cause ecological impacts is the generation of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) by submarine cables. These electromagnetic fields can negatively affect the growth, generation, and progress of marine species. It can also affect carnivorous species that function as predators of marine life. Furthermore, due to their effects on navigation equipment, EMFs from undersea cables can also influence shipping (23).
The ecological impact of exploiting ocean energy remains uncertain, as tidal energy devices and ecosystems have complex and progressive interactions over time, which can lead to unforeseen consequences. While there is knowledge about Earth's ecosystem, there is limited knowledge about ocean ecosystems. Furthermore, obtaining more information about ocean environments can be expensive and difficult (23).
Sustainability Framework for RE
The identification of all potential negative impacts related to the implementation of any renewable energy systems reveals the importance of having a good socio-environmental study coupled with its planning.
As the IFC standards already establish minimum requirements in terms of social, environmental, and corporate governance issues in projects, a good initiative when planning a renewable energy plant is to commit to meeting its requirements to effectively manage the related risks. IFC - International Finance Corporation is an organization of the World Bank and a member of the World Bank Group. IFC is the world's largest organization focused on the private sector and emerging markets. It introduces IFC's Environmental and Social Performance Standards, outlining the responsibilities of IFC clients to manage their environmental and social risks.
The 2012 edition of the IFC Sustainability Framework includes the Performance Standards, which apply to all investment and advisory clients whose projects undergo IFC's initial credit review process after January 1, 2012 (26). Performance Standard 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, 2: Working and Working Conditions, 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention, 4: Community Health, Safety and Security, 5: Land Acquisition and Resettlement Involuntary, 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, 7: Indigenous Peoples, 8: Cultural Heritage.
However, to create a framework to support the decision-making process on investing in renewable energy, it is also important to understand the limitations of IFC's performance and think beyond that (27). The ideal would be individualizing the project, forming a committee of experts in different but interconnected disciplines, and ensure a holistic view of the project. This would facilitate accurate decision-making and the implementation of a project that minimizes negative socio-environmental impacts and maximizes positive impacts.
Finally, it is important to point out that, since all forms of energy production, whether conventional or renewable, have environmental and social negative impacts, the first and main mitigating measure would be to reduce energy use.
In summary: Sustainable development requires the use of sustainable energy systems. However, how a resource is used will determine whether or not the use is sustainable.
References
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Sustainability Specialist | ESG Strategy
2yCaptain Kieran Kelly, This article was mainly inspired by your warning about the potential fatal impacts when installing wind power systems without considering bird migration routes. Thank you for it :) There is no perfect solution to the world's energy demand. All potential impacts need to be considered, so that solutions have negative impacts minimized (and positive ones leveraged).