Environmental and social assessment of renewable energy projects
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This document discusses the environmental and social impacts of various renewable energy projects and the need for assessment of these impacts. It covers issues like waste from photovoltaic panels, impacts on birds from wind farms, competition for biomass resources, effects on indigenous peoples, land and water use requirements, impacts on livelihoods, and the need for policies and regulations to properly assess sustainability. The document argues that environmental and social considerations must be inclusively addressed in project financing.
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Environmental and social assessment of renewable energy projects
- 1. Environmental and Social Assessment of Renewable Energy Projects Prasad Modak Environmental Management Centre www.emcentre.com
- 2. Do we need environmental and social assessment of RE projects? 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 2
- 3. What happens to the End of Like of PV Panels PV CYCLE INITIATIVE In EU, there will be 35,000 tonnes of PV waste by 2020. 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 3
- 4. Wind farms and Birds • Barrier effect – collisions • Habitat separation – degradation • Noise • Change in Migratory path, Mating • EU directives, Natura 2000 sites (26000 in 27 countries), Siting Guidelines, SEA and EIA 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 4
- 5. Important Bird Areas and work done by Bombay Natural History Society 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 5
- 6. Biomass based Projects • Biomass cultivation (water, technology) • Biomass collection (transportation) • Competition (fodder, charcoal) • Ecological change – biodiversity related impacts 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 6
- 7. Indigenous Peoples Community Engagement & Involvement Training, Benefit Sharing Linking Corporate Social Responsibility New Business Models, Micro-finance 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 7
- 8. Land Requirements http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20006361-54.html 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 8
- 9. Biofuels and Land Use Impacts The report, Anticipated Indirect Land Use Change Associated with Expanded Use of Biofuels and Bioliquids in the EU – An Analysis of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans, concludes that between 4.1 and 6.9 million hectares of additional land will need to be cropped due to the increasing conventional biofuels demand, set out in national plans. This would lead to additional annual emissions of between 27 and 56 million tonnes of CO2 between 2011 and 2020, associated with land conversion. In the US, RE Projects coming up on Contaminated Lands, Waste Lands 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 9
- 10. Water Requirements Liters/MWHr • Solar Tower • Recirculating 1900-2800 • Hybrid 340 - 950 • Air Cooled 340 • Parabolic Trough • Recirculating 3000 Coal 1520 -2850 • Hybrid 380 – 1700 • Air cooled 300 • Solar Dish – mirror washing 76 • Linear Fresnel • Recirculating 3800 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 10
- 11. Livelihoods • Impact of Energy Access • Expanding Financing Envelopes for “downstream” investments – especially in off- grid situations e.g. finance not just wind mill but cold storage facility for the fishermen 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 11
- 12. Policy, Regulations and Assessment Requirements • Project EIA (EA related Governance – e.g. in India MoEF EIA Notification) • Need for Sustainability Appraisal (Economic, Environmental and Social) • Siting Guidelines – e.g. addressing bird areas • Policies on protecting biodiversity, maintaining buffers, ensuring community interests • Addressing Waste Disposal End of Life 4/11/2013 Prasad Modak 12
- 13. Making Environmental & Social Considerations Inclusive in Financing