Engineering
SOLUTION: CIU Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Question
SOLUTION: CIU Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Question.
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of
Energy Systems
Energy Sources
•
•
•
•
•
Coal Energy
Natural Gas Energy
Oil Energy
Nuclear Energy
Renewable Energy
–
–
–
–
–
Solar
Wind
Hydro
Geothermal
Bio (Biomass)
2
1
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Coal
•
•
•
•
Extraction (Surface or Ground)
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Solid waste pollution (water, soil, air pollution)
– Deforestation
– Health impacts on workers (e.g. accidents, chronic diseases, noise)
– Air pollution due to the emission of air pollutants (dust, PM)
– Visual Pollution
Transportation (vehicles)
–
Air pollution; Emission of air pollutants due to the combustion of fuel (Nox, PM, CO etc.),
(Release of dust and PM if the the piles uncovered on the truck)
–
Noise Pollution
–
Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the extraction site
Storage (if uncovered)
–
Air pollution (dust release)
–
Water and soil pollution (due to the rainfall on the stored pile)
Combustion of Coal
–
Air pollution (emission of CO2, SO2, Nox, PM, Hg, Hydrocarbons, CO, VOC, As, Pb etc
–
Waste as coal ash, sludge (disposed in landfills or stored in reservoirs)
3
–
Health impacts on the workers
Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas
•
Drilling/Extraction
– Air pollution
•
•
•
•
Leakage of methane (CH4)
due to the emission of air pollutants from the machines and vehicles (dust, NOx, PM)
– Soil, water pollution due to the release of the naturally occurring other contaminants)
– Visual Pollution
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Deforestation
– Contamination of water while drilling, disposing of wastewater
– Health impacts on workers (e.g. accidents, chronic diseases, noise)
– Earthquake while fracturing the earth’s crust
– Water use (due to the hydraulic fracturing process)
Transportation (pipelines)
–
Air pollution due to the leakage of CH4 from the pipes
–
Deforestation or land degradation due to the installment of the pipes
Combustion of Natural Gas
–
Air pollution (emission of CH4, CO2, NOx, etc)
–
Health impacts on the workers
4
2
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Oil
•
Drilling/Extraction (Ground or Sea/Ocean)
– Air Pollution (due to the emission of air pollutants from the machinery or the release of natural gas
found in the reservoir)
– Soil and/or Water Pollution due to the spill
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Deforestation
– Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise, accidents)
• Transportation (by ships, pipelines or trucks)
– Water pollution due to the accidents, leak from the pipes
– Damage on habitat, wildlife
– Environmental degradation
– Noise pollution
• Storage
– Soil, water or air pollution due to the leakage from the storage tank in petrol stations or industries
– Land use and degradation
• Processing and Combustion
– Hazardous waste pollution due to the chemicals wasted during the processing of oil
– Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants (CO2, SO2, NOx, PMs, toxic gases)
– Health impacts on the workers
5
– Water pollution (due to the cooling water requirement)
Environmental Impacts of Nuclear Power
•
•
•
•
Extraction/Mining (Ground or Sea)
– All the impacts that were written for coal extraction applies here
– The only difference is that the impact is severe for nuclear as the extracted material is uranium and
is radioactive pollution
Transportation
– Water and/soil pollution because of accidents or spills
Processing (concentration of uranium by chemical processes)
– Soil, air or water pollution due to the wasted materials during the processing (liquid or solid form;
eg. Acids)
– Water use for producing steam (rivers, lakes, ocean etc)
– Water, soil pollution by the release of radioactive wastewater
– Hazardous waste pollution (Spent uranium is a waste to be disposed; long term burial in tunnels or
cooling pools in the nuclear plant)
Impacts of possible accidents (due to earthquake, tsunami, equipment failure)
– Air and Soil Pollution (Release of radioactive materials into the water and soil)
– Health impacts on the people living in the environment
6
3
4/11/2016
Renewable Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wind Power
Solar Power
Geothermal Energy
Biomass for Electricity
Hydro Power/Energy
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power
•
•
Materials Production
Manufacturing
–
–
–
–
–
•
Transportation
–
–
•
Water use
Water, soil and air pollution due to the waste material disposal
Air pollution to the emission of air pollutants due to the machinery
Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise)
Deforestation
Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the site
Air pollution due to the emissions from the vehicles carrying the equipment
Installation (Onshore or offshore)
Onshore
– Land use (hilly or flat areas)
– Deforestation, land degradation
– Damage on habitat and wildlife
– Visual Pollution
Offshore
– Damage on habitats, fishing and recreational activities etc
– Water pollution
– Visual pollution
•
Operation and Maintenance
–
–
–
•
Noise Pollution
Health Impacts on the workers
Damage on wildlife (especially birds)
Dismantlement
–
Air, water, soil pollution by waste
•
Solid waste (heavy metals, steel, etc.)
8
4
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Solar Power
•
•
Materials Production
Manufacturing
– Water use and pollution
– Hazardous waste pollution (materials used in manufacturing)
•
•
Manufacturing thin-film PV cells (Arsenic, Copper, Cadmium etc.)
Cleaning and purifying semiconductors (Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid)
– Health Impacts on the workers
•
•
Exposure to dust and toxic materials (eg. Heavy metals)
Transportation
– Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the site
– Air pollution due to the emissions from the vehicles carrying the equipment
•
Installation (on roofs or land)
– Less impact on habitat and less land use (roofs of the buildings))
– More impact on habitat and less land use (land)
– Deforestation and land degradation (land)
•
Operation and Maintenance
– The need of water for cooling concentrating solar thermal plants
•
•
Water use and pollution
Dismantlement
– Pollution by Waste
•
•
Solid waste (heavy metals, steel, etc.)
Wastewater (acids, solvents etc.)
9
Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Power
•
•
Extraction (close to earth or deep reservoir)
– Land use, degradation (such geothermal reservoirs are usually found in ecological areas)
– Deforestation
– Water, soil pollution due to the extracted thermal water containing high levels of S, salt and
minerals
– Earthquake (due to the fracturing of the crust)
– Air pollution due to the release of the air pollutants from the machines drilling
– Health impacts on the workers
Operation (closed loop or open loop)
–
Air pollution due to the release of gas such as H2S, CO2, NH4, CH4, and other pollutants Hg
and B. (open loop)
– Damages on ecology due to the acid rains and health impacts due to the emission of H2S
– Health impacts on the workers
– Water use to refill the emptied reservoirs or cooling
– Air, soil and water pollution due to the waste produced from the scrubber filters used for
treatment (closed loop)
•
•
Hazardous waste pollution due to the watery sludge produced from scrubber filters . This sludge consists of Sulphur,
Vanadium, Arsenic, Mercury, Nickel, Heavy metals
Dismentling
–
Air, soil and water pollution due to the wasted material.
10
5
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Hydro Power
•
•
•
•
Manufacturing
– Water use
– Water, soil and air pollution due to the waste material disposal
– Air pollution to the emission of air pollutants due to the machinery
– Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise)
Construction/Installment
– Air pollution due to the release of the air pollutants from the machines constructing
– Health impacts on the workers
– Land use and soil erosion
– Damage on forests, vegetat,on wildlife due to the flooding
– Water pollution
Operation
–
Impact on agriculture or aquatic life due to the drying out at the downstream
–
Damage on habitat due to the failure in design or unexpected precipitation
–
Loss of water due to the evaporation from the large surface area of the reservoir
–
Damage on aquatic life by the turbines (eg. Killing the fish)
–
Impact on reproduction of fish by creating obstacles against upstream swimming of the fish
–
Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants (CO2 and CH4) from the decomposition of the
flooded vegetation and soil
–
Change in the biological species in the water due to the accumulation of sediments and nutrient
and overpopulation of algae and weeds.
11
Dismentling – Air, soil and water pollution due to the wasted material.
Bio Energy
• Combustion of feedstock (energy crops,
agricultural products, manure, forest products,
waste etc.)
• Conversion of biogas generated in a landfill
• Combustion of bioethanol or biodiesel (liquid
biofuel)
– Bioethanol: biological conversion of feedstock such as
corn or sugarcane into ethanol
– Biodiesel: biological conversion of feedstock such as
soyabean or palm oil trees into diesel.
12
6
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Bio Power
(Combustion of feedstok)
•
•
Growing and harvesting the feedstock
– Land use (large surface area is required for the agriculture)
– Water use
– Water and soil pollution due to the fertilizer and insecticide use
– Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants from the machines used for ploughing ,
harvesting etc.
– Soil degradation
Combustion
–
Air pollution (emission of CO2, SO2, PM, Hydrocarbons, CO, VOC etc)
–
Waste pollution such as coal ash, sludge (disposed in landfills or stored in reservoirs)
–
Health impacts on the workers
–
Water use and pollution (cooling water)
13
7
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
Environment
• Environment can be defined as one’s surroundings.
• Environment is usually defined as the natural or
manmade system where human beings live, with all
its social, chemical, and biophysical aspects and the
relationships among them.
• The global environment consists of:
– Hydrosphere (water)
– Atmosphere (air blanket)
– Litosphere (solid earth)
in which the life sustaining resources of earth are
contained.
2
1
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
• Environmental impact can be defined as the
significant alteration of natural and man-made
systems and their resources.
3
• The main concern with regard to
environmental impact is to establish the type
of alterations that constitute a nuisance:
– noise and fumes in the urban area?
– Sanitation problems?
– greenhouse effect or ozone depletion?
4
2
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
– Environmental pollution
– Deforastation
– Deterioration of the wetlands
– Loss of species
– Etc.
5
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION
POLLUTION BY SOLID WASTE
SOIL POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION
NOISE POLLUTION
6
3
3/25/2016
WATER POLLUTION
7
Hydrological Cycle
8
4
3/25/2016
Why is water important?
Vital for life
You can survive a few weeks without
food but you survive only a few days
without water
Essential to be healthy
Prevents many illnesses such as
headache, stomach ache,
depression etc.
Essential for agriculture,
livestock, industry etc.
9
How abundant is water?
Over 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered
by water, however;
2%
1%
UNAVAILABLE FRESHWATER AVAILABLE FRESHWATER
Glaciers & ice caps
Surface & groundwater
97 %
SALT WATER
Oceans
10
5
3/25/2016
How abundant is water?
Available renewable
water sources are
Available surface and ground water (
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
Environmental Impacts of
Energy Systems
Energy Sources
•
•
•
•
•
Coal Energy
Natural Gas Energy
Oil Energy
Nuclear Energy
Renewable Energy
–
–
–
–
–
Solar
Wind
Hydro
Geothermal
Bio (Biomass)
2
1
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Coal
•
•
•
•
Extraction (Surface or Ground)
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Solid waste pollution (water, soil, air pollution)
– Deforestation
– Health impacts on workers (e.g. accidents, chronic diseases, noise)
– Air pollution due to the emission of air pollutants (dust, PM)
– Visual Pollution
Transportation (vehicles)
–
Air pollution; Emission of air pollutants due to the combustion of fuel (Nox, PM, CO etc.),
(Release of dust and PM if the the piles uncovered on the truck)
–
Noise Pollution
–
Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the extraction site
Storage (if uncovered)
–
Air pollution (dust release)
–
Water and soil pollution (due to the rainfall on the stored pile)
Combustion of Coal
–
Air pollution (emission of CO2, SO2, Nox, PM, Hg, Hydrocarbons, CO, VOC, As, Pb etc
–
Waste as coal ash, sludge (disposed in landfills or stored in reservoirs)
3
–
Health impacts on the workers
Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas
•
Drilling/Extraction
– Air pollution
•
•
•
•
Leakage of methane (CH4)
due to the emission of air pollutants from the machines and vehicles (dust, NOx, PM)
– Soil, water pollution due to the release of the naturally occurring other contaminants)
– Visual Pollution
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Deforestation
– Contamination of water while drilling, disposing of wastewater
– Health impacts on workers (e.g. accidents, chronic diseases, noise)
– Earthquake while fracturing the earth’s crust
– Water use (due to the hydraulic fracturing process)
Transportation (pipelines)
–
Air pollution due to the leakage of CH4 from the pipes
–
Deforestation or land degradation due to the installment of the pipes
Combustion of Natural Gas
–
Air pollution (emission of CH4, CO2, NOx, etc)
–
Health impacts on the workers
4
2
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Oil
•
Drilling/Extraction (Ground or Sea/Ocean)
– Air Pollution (due to the emission of air pollutants from the machinery or the release of natural gas
found in the reservoir)
– Soil and/or Water Pollution due to the spill
– Harm on habitat and wildlife
– Landscape degradation
– Deforestation
– Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise, accidents)
• Transportation (by ships, pipelines or trucks)
– Water pollution due to the accidents, leak from the pipes
– Damage on habitat, wildlife
– Environmental degradation
– Noise pollution
• Storage
– Soil, water or air pollution due to the leakage from the storage tank in petrol stations or industries
– Land use and degradation
• Processing and Combustion
– Hazardous waste pollution due to the chemicals wasted during the processing of oil
– Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants (CO2, SO2, NOx, PMs, toxic gases)
– Health impacts on the workers
5
– Water pollution (due to the cooling water requirement)
Environmental Impacts of Nuclear Power
•
•
•
•
Extraction/Mining (Ground or Sea)
– All the impacts that were written for coal extraction applies here
– The only difference is that the impact is severe for nuclear as the extracted material is uranium and
is radioactive pollution
Transportation
– Water and/soil pollution because of accidents or spills
Processing (concentration of uranium by chemical processes)
– Soil, air or water pollution due to the wasted materials during the processing (liquid or solid form;
eg. Acids)
– Water use for producing steam (rivers, lakes, ocean etc)
– Water, soil pollution by the release of radioactive wastewater
– Hazardous waste pollution (Spent uranium is a waste to be disposed; long term burial in tunnels or
cooling pools in the nuclear plant)
Impacts of possible accidents (due to earthquake, tsunami, equipment failure)
– Air and Soil Pollution (Release of radioactive materials into the water and soil)
– Health impacts on the people living in the environment
6
3
4/11/2016
Renewable Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wind Power
Solar Power
Geothermal Energy
Biomass for Electricity
Hydro Power/Energy
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power
•
•
Materials Production
Manufacturing
–
–
–
–
–
•
Transportation
–
–
•
Water use
Water, soil and air pollution due to the waste material disposal
Air pollution to the emission of air pollutants due to the machinery
Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise)
Deforestation
Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the site
Air pollution due to the emissions from the vehicles carrying the equipment
Installation (Onshore or offshore)
Onshore
– Land use (hilly or flat areas)
– Deforestation, land degradation
– Damage on habitat and wildlife
– Visual Pollution
Offshore
– Damage on habitats, fishing and recreational activities etc
– Water pollution
– Visual pollution
•
Operation and Maintenance
–
–
–
•
Noise Pollution
Health Impacts on the workers
Damage on wildlife (especially birds)
Dismantlement
–
Air, water, soil pollution by waste
•
Solid waste (heavy metals, steel, etc.)
8
4
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Solar Power
•
•
Materials Production
Manufacturing
– Water use and pollution
– Hazardous waste pollution (materials used in manufacturing)
•
•
Manufacturing thin-film PV cells (Arsenic, Copper, Cadmium etc.)
Cleaning and purifying semiconductors (Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid)
– Health Impacts on the workers
•
•
Exposure to dust and toxic materials (eg. Heavy metals)
Transportation
– Deforestation or land degrad. due to the construction of roads to access to the site
– Air pollution due to the emissions from the vehicles carrying the equipment
•
Installation (on roofs or land)
– Less impact on habitat and less land use (roofs of the buildings))
– More impact on habitat and less land use (land)
– Deforestation and land degradation (land)
•
Operation and Maintenance
– The need of water for cooling concentrating solar thermal plants
•
•
Water use and pollution
Dismantlement
– Pollution by Waste
•
•
Solid waste (heavy metals, steel, etc.)
Wastewater (acids, solvents etc.)
9
Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Power
•
•
Extraction (close to earth or deep reservoir)
– Land use, degradation (such geothermal reservoirs are usually found in ecological areas)
– Deforestation
– Water, soil pollution due to the extracted thermal water containing high levels of S, salt and
minerals
– Earthquake (due to the fracturing of the crust)
– Air pollution due to the release of the air pollutants from the machines drilling
– Health impacts on the workers
Operation (closed loop or open loop)
–
Air pollution due to the release of gas such as H2S, CO2, NH4, CH4, and other pollutants Hg
and B. (open loop)
– Damages on ecology due to the acid rains and health impacts due to the emission of H2S
– Health impacts on the workers
– Water use to refill the emptied reservoirs or cooling
– Air, soil and water pollution due to the waste produced from the scrubber filters used for
treatment (closed loop)
•
•
Hazardous waste pollution due to the watery sludge produced from scrubber filters . This sludge consists of Sulphur,
Vanadium, Arsenic, Mercury, Nickel, Heavy metals
Dismentling
–
Air, soil and water pollution due to the wasted material.
10
5
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Hydro Power
•
•
•
•
Manufacturing
– Water use
– Water, soil and air pollution due to the waste material disposal
– Air pollution to the emission of air pollutants due to the machinery
– Health Impacts on the workers (eg. Noise)
Construction/Installment
– Air pollution due to the release of the air pollutants from the machines constructing
– Health impacts on the workers
– Land use and soil erosion
– Damage on forests, vegetat,on wildlife due to the flooding
– Water pollution
Operation
–
Impact on agriculture or aquatic life due to the drying out at the downstream
–
Damage on habitat due to the failure in design or unexpected precipitation
–
Loss of water due to the evaporation from the large surface area of the reservoir
–
Damage on aquatic life by the turbines (eg. Killing the fish)
–
Impact on reproduction of fish by creating obstacles against upstream swimming of the fish
–
Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants (CO2 and CH4) from the decomposition of the
flooded vegetation and soil
–
Change in the biological species in the water due to the accumulation of sediments and nutrient
and overpopulation of algae and weeds.
11
Dismentling – Air, soil and water pollution due to the wasted material.
Bio Energy
• Combustion of feedstock (energy crops,
agricultural products, manure, forest products,
waste etc.)
• Conversion of biogas generated in a landfill
• Combustion of bioethanol or biodiesel (liquid
biofuel)
– Bioethanol: biological conversion of feedstock such as
corn or sugarcane into ethanol
– Biodiesel: biological conversion of feedstock such as
soyabean or palm oil trees into diesel.
12
6
4/11/2016
Environmental Impacts of Bio Power
(Combustion of feedstok)
•
•
Growing and harvesting the feedstock
– Land use (large surface area is required for the agriculture)
– Water use
– Water and soil pollution due to the fertilizer and insecticide use
– Air pollution due to the release of air pollutants from the machines used for ploughing ,
harvesting etc.
– Soil degradation
Combustion
–
Air pollution (emission of CO2, SO2, PM, Hydrocarbons, CO, VOC etc)
–
Waste pollution such as coal ash, sludge (disposed in landfills or stored in reservoirs)
–
Health impacts on the workers
–
Water use and pollution (cooling water)
13
7
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
Environment
• Environment can be defined as one’s surroundings.
• Environment is usually defined as the natural or
manmade system where human beings live, with all
its social, chemical, and biophysical aspects and the
relationships among them.
• The global environment consists of:
– Hydrosphere (water)
– Atmosphere (air blanket)
– Litosphere (solid earth)
in which the life sustaining resources of earth are
contained.
2
1
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
• Environmental impact can be defined as the
significant alteration of natural and man-made
systems and their resources.
3
• The main concern with regard to
environmental impact is to establish the type
of alterations that constitute a nuisance:
– noise and fumes in the urban area?
– Sanitation problems?
– greenhouse effect or ozone depletion?
4
2
3/25/2016
Environmental Impacts
– Environmental pollution
– Deforastation
– Deterioration of the wetlands
– Loss of species
– Etc.
5
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION
POLLUTION BY SOLID WASTE
SOIL POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION
NOISE POLLUTION
6
3
3/25/2016
WATER POLLUTION
7
Hydrological Cycle
8
4
3/25/2016
Why is water important?
Vital for life
You can survive a few weeks without
food but you survive only a few days
without water
Essential to be healthy
Prevents many illnesses such as
headache, stomach ache,
depression etc.
Essential for agriculture,
livestock, industry etc.
9
How abundant is water?
Over 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered
by water, however;
2%
1%
UNAVAILABLE FRESHWATER AVAILABLE FRESHWATER
Glaciers & ice caps
Surface & groundwater
97 %
SALT WATER
Oceans
10
5
3/25/2016
How abundant is water?
Available renewable
water sources are
Available surface and ground water (
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
SOLUTION: CIU Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment Question