An Analysis of Key Environmental and Social Risks in the Development of Concentrated Solar Power Projects
2015
Otieno, George Aluru
Concentrated Solar Power projects have impact on environment and social conditions in areas where they are installed. This is due to their large physical scale and the technology. This research set out to investigate the environmental and social risks in the development of such projects and rank these risks from highest to lowest. The risks were analysed for parabolic trough and tower technologies only. A literature review was undertaken, identifying seventeen risks that were then proposed to six CSP experts for scoring. The risks were scored based of five factors in a five tier scale. The scores from the experts were cumulated to develop an overall rank of the identified risks. The risk of disruption of local water resources was found to represent the highest risk before and after mitigation with a score of moderate-high and moderate respectively. This score is linked to the importance of water in water scarce regions typified by the best regions for Concentrated Solar Power. The risks to avian species, to worker health and safety, due to noise on the environment, to visual and recreational resources and due to production of hazardous materials and waste completed the top six.
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