Impacts of Geothermal Energy on Environment

 Water
 Air emission
 Land
 Global warming

Water
Geothermal plant also have an impacts on water quality. Hot water is pumped from underground
reservoirs that contain salt, sulfur, and other minerals.

There are two types of geo thermal facilities

 Close-loop
 Open-loop

In close-loop system the hot water is again sent back to the reservoir after producing heat and electricity
and this water is not directly send into the lacks and rivers.
The hot water is kept in the steel well casing with cement and surrounded by rocks.

In open –loop system the hot water is sent to the lacks and rivers after producing heat and electricity
which contaminate the water

Water is also used for cooling purpose in geothermal plants. The quantity and quality of water is
depending on the cooling technology used in geothermal plants which require between 1,700 and 4,000
gallons of water per megawatt-hour.
Air Emissions
Hot water is pumped from underground reservoirs that contain different hazardous gases (hydrogen
sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, and boron) these gases are removed from the well.

There we also have two functions for emission of air

 Close-loop
 Open-loop

In close-loop system these gases are not emitted in the atmosphere and these gases are transport back into
the ground after taking heat.

In open-loop system these gases are emitted in the atmosphere and cause different problems we can say
that these gases act as rotten eggs in environment.

When hydrogen sulfide enters in the atmosphere it is converted into sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is
absorbed in our blood and cause lungs disease it also cause acid rain and as well as destroy the crops, soil,
forests and acidify the streams and lacks.

But in geo thermal plant the SO2 emission is 30 times less than the coal plants.

Some geo thermal plants produce a little bit amount of mercury and this is removed by scrubber
by scrubber we get sludge which contain mercury, sulfur, chlorides, compounds of silica, nickel,
arsenic, vanadium and other heavy metals this sludge is disposed at waste site.

Land
The land requirement foe geo thermal plant depend on the power production. The world largest geo
thermal plant cover area about 78 square kilometers and produce 1517 mega watts
The drilling in earth at large scale at the hot spot of earth for geo thermal energy increase the risk of earth
quake.

Global Warming

In open-loop system in geo thermal plant the air which is emitted almost contain 10 % carbon dioxide and
as well as the small amount of methane and other gases which are involve in global warming.

In open-loop system when one kilowatt-hour power is produce the 0.1 pound of carbon dioxide is
released while on the other hand in closed-loop system there is no emission of carbon dioxide.

In geo thermal system in which energy is obtained by the drilling and pumping of water into hot rock
reservoirs this also cause have global warming by the emission of 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide on the
production of 1 kilowatt-hour energy.

In geo thermal plant the released carbon dioxide is about 0.6 - 2 pounds which is less than the amount of
carbon dioxide which is released from the coal plant it is about 1.4 - 3.6 pound for 1 kilowatt-hour
production of energy.

Impacts of Solar Power on Environment

 Water Use
 Hazardous Materials
 Global warming

Water Use
In solar power PV cells not use water for generating electricity but water is used for the purpose of
cooling and manufacturing of PV cells.
 Concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP) use water for cooling purpose the amount of water use is
depend on the design, location and system which is used for cooling purpose.

CSP plants use 600 – 650 gallons of water for producing 1 megawatt-hour electricity. By using dry
cooling system we can reduce the consumption of water about 90 %.

Hazardous Materials
The process of manufacturing of photo voltaic cell contain hazardous materials such as for cleaning and
purifying of semiconductor surface (Sulfuric acid, Hydrochloric acid, Hydrogen fluoride, acetone and
1,1,1-trichloroethane) Silicon dust is also bad for workers.

Today thin film of PV cells contain different toxic materials but traditional PV cells not contain these
toxic materials. The toxic materials are cadmium-telluride, gallium arsenide and copper-indium-gallium-
diselenide. If these chemicals are not disposed properly these materials cause public health problems and
as well as the environmental problems.

Global Warming

There is no global warming during the electricity generating but during the manufacturing process,
materials transportation, installation and maintenance cause global warming. The emission of global
warming gases (Carbon dioxide) during the production of 1 kilowatt-hour is about 0.07 - 0.18 pound of
carbon dioxide.

The solar power range of emission of carbon dioxide is 0.08 – 0.2 pounds which is less than the coal
plant.

Impact of Wind Power on Environment

 Wildlife and Habitat

 Life-Cycle Global Warming Emissions
Wildlife and Habitat
The wind energy effects the wildlife such as the rotation of blades cause the death of birds and bats for
saving the birds and bats turbines are used for the wind energy. Bats are mostly active when the speed of
air is low so that different scientist concluded that at the low speed of air the turbines become motionless
and the death cases of birds and bats become less.

Life-Cycle Global Warming Emissions

By using wind energy there is no global warming but during the manufacturing process, materials
transportation, installation and maintenance cause global warming. The emission of global warming gases
(Carbon dioxide) during the production of 1 kilowatt-hour is about 0.02 – 0.04 pounds of carbon dioxide.

The wind energy range of emission of carbon dioxide is 0.6 – 2 pounds which is less than the coal plant.

Impact of Hydroelectric Power on Environment

 Wildlife impact
 Global warming
Wildlife Impacts
Hydroelectric power system also effects the wild life of aquatic animals such as fishes.

When water is used to run the turbine some fishes and other aquatic animals stuck in the turbines and die.
The water which is put in reservoir contain less amount of oxygen when this water is sent into the lacks
the other animals which drink water from these lacks also infected and this water also effects the crops.

Global Warming
In the hydroelectric power generation global warming is not occur. Global warming occur during the
installation and dismantling of hydroelectric power plants but according to the new research carbon
dioxide is produced and it cause global warming this emission of carbon dioxide depending on the size of
the reservoir and as well as the nature of land that is effected due to the flood by the reservoir.

The small plants that run on the river produce about 0.01 and 0.03 pounds of carbon dioxide as the result
of 1 kilowatt-hour energy production. On the large scale the emission of carbon dioxide is about 0.06
pounds of carbon dioxide as the result of the 1 kilowatt-hour of energy production. But this amount of
carbon dioxide is far less than the amount of carbon dioxide which is produced in coal plant and cause
global warming.