Environmental implications of solar and biomass energy growth
As part of the US Department of Energy's Technology Assessment of Solar Energy projects, 26 solar and biomass technologies were characterized by size, energy requirements, pollutant discharges, and material and labor requirements for operation and maintenance and construction. Using these parameters, this paper compares these technologies with competing fossil and nuclear technologies. Comparisons are provided both for effects per unit of useful output energy and for national scenarios in which a mix of solar and biomass technologies displaces conventional energy options. The various direct environmental implications of using solar and biomass technologies are discussed. These implications include such factors as decreased atmospheric emissions from fossil-fuel use and increased soil erosion and emissions of particulate matter from biomass energy production. The extent to which conventional emissions reductions are offset by increases in indirect pollution from the higher materials-manufacturing requirements of solar technologies is quantitatively evaluated. Overall, only a limited national environmental advantage emerges from the postulated high growth rate of solar/biomass technology through the year 2000. Atmospheric emissions of particulate matter from biocombustion are disproportionately high and should be a major concern of regulators.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 5930338
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-830583-3; ON: DE83014337
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
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AIR POLLUTION
APPLIANCES
BIOMASS
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
CONSTRUCTION
EMISSION
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EVALUATION
INDUSTRY
MAINTENANCE
MANPOWER
MATERIAL BALANCE
NET ENERGY
OPERATION
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
POLLUTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR INDUSTRY
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES