Environmental impacts of large-scale CSP plants in northwestern China

Abstract

Several concentrated solar power demonstration plants are being constructed, and a few commercial plants have been announced in northwestern China. However, the mutual impacts between the concentrated solar power plants and their surrounding environments have not yet been addressed comprehensively in literature by the parties involved in these projects. In China, these projects are especially important as an increasing amount of low carbon electricity needs to be generated in order to maintain the current economic growth while simultaneously lessening pollution. In this study, the authors assess the potential environmental impacts of large-scale concentrated solar power plants. Specifically, the water use intensity, soil erosion and soil temperature are quantitatively examined. It was found that some of the impacts are favorable, while some impacts are negative in relation to traditional power generation techniques and some need further research before they can be reasonably appraised. In quantitative terms, concentrated solar power plants consume about 4000 L MW(-1) h(-1) of water if wet cooling technology is used, and the collectors lead to the soil temperature changes of between 0.5 and 4 °C; however, it was found that the soil erosion is dramatically alleviated. The results of this study are helpful to decision-makers in concentrated solar power site selection and regional planning. Some conclusions of this study are also valid for large-scale photovoltaic plants.

Solar energy for future world: - A review

“…Seventh, some indirect effects are caused to environment by large scale PV industry. For example, birds and insects can be killed as they fly into concentrated beam of sunlight by solar collector for better efficiency [161]. Eighth, heat exchangers in the collectors have some toxic fluids.…”

The Influence of Solar Power Plants on Microclimatic Conditions and the Biotic Community in Chilean Desert Environments

“…Solar energy is a clean and safe energy source compared to fossil fuel energy sources (Tsoutsos et al 2005) although it requires a large-scale landscape transformation (Chiabrando et al 2009). Landscape fragmentation, the elimination of existing flora and fauna, changes in microclimate and changes in surface albedo are some of the main environmental impacts (Turney & Fthenakis 2011, Wu et al 2014. Furthermore, rapid growth in renewables in recent years has meant that management planning for solar installations is lagging behind (Lovich & Ennen 2011).…”

“…Consequently, these modifications might alter the local flora and fauna (Wu et al 2014). However, impacts on biodiversity can also be positive as the panels can create beneficial microclimate for new species (Tsoutsos et al 2005).…”

“…For instance, in the Chilean semiarid desert, the microclimate beneath the shrub canopy can be favorable; contributing to species dispersion (Tracol et al 2011), an effect that might be mimicked by solar panels. According to Wu et al (2014), solar panels can increase soil humidity, which generates favorable conditions for biota.…”

Environment impact of a concentrated solar power plant

“…The collector field in CSP plants also has an influence on the soil temperature below the collector. Depending on where the plant is built, the temperature of the soil in winter may be several °C higher and during the spring and summer several °C lower than the soil temperature outside the collector field (according investigation of Zhiyong Wu et al [16] in Yanqing, China, temperature difference was from 0.5 °C to 4 °C).…”