Environmental effects of solar-thermal power systems. Environmental considerations in siting a solar-coal hybrid power plant. I. Environmental assessment

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6550523· OSTI ID:6550523

The purpose of this study was to identify environmental concerns and uncertainties unique to siting a solar-coal hybrid power plant. A conceptual design for such a plant prepared by Rockwell International was arbitrarily chosen as a representative technology. A location selected for the one-time proposed Sundesert Nuclear Power Plant was chosen as the study site because of its desert location, level of insolation, and the availability of extensive environmental assessment documentation prepared in anticipation of developing the Sundesert facility. Environmental concerns were examined in the perspective of the facility's impact on the environment; the environment's impact on the facility; and intraplant impacts arising from the interaction of subsystems. This study identified several impact categories as significant but common to any type of power plant that might be constructed at the site (e.g., water supply, vegetation and wildlife, and socioeconomics). The effect of the facility on the environment was dominated by the large area of land required which in turn produced significant environmental concerns in the areas of air quality, geology, hydrology, vegetation and wildlife, and aesthetics. Health and safety concerns unique to solar were associated primarily with fluid releases and misdirected heliostat reflections. The effect of the environment on the facility was dominated by air quality concerns which also dominated solar-hybrid subsystem interactions. Emissions from coal combustion and coal handling were viewed as significant problems which could compromise the efficiency of the facility.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Los Angeles (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00012
• OSTI ID: 6550523
• Report Number(s): UCLA-12/1282
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140400* -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
140700 -- Solar Thermal Power Systems
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200200 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
AC SYSTEMS
AESTHETICS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
ANIMALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DUSTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
HELIOSTATS
HVAC SYSTEMS
HYBRID SYSTEMS
HYDROLOGY
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LAND REQUIREMENTS
LAND USE
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING
METEOROLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PLANTS
PLUMES
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
POWER SYSTEMS
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
PUBLIC HEALTH
SAFETY
SEISMICITY
SITE SELECTION
SITE SURVEYS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
SOLID WASTES
STACK DISPOSAL
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION
WATER QUALITY
WEATHER
WEATHERING
WILD ANIMALS