Title:Assessing the Grip of Solar Energy Systems on Environmental Sustainability-
A Review
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Author(s): Shreya Srivastava, Ajit Behera and Ramakrishna Biswal*
Affiliation:
- Department of Humanities
& Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela-769008, India
Keywords:
Solar energy, PV energy, CSP systems, SWH systems, environment, sustainability.
Abstract: A sustainable energy production system fulfills its goal while being environmentally, socially,
and technically sound. The intermittent availability and viability of renewable energy makes this vision
a gradual and long-suffering process. In the rapid result-oriented economy, concerns regarding the
environment are treated with desperate solutions that may add fuel to the fire. Although substantial research
has been going on in the development of emerging technologies and refinement of established
systems, we need to be reminded of the larger goal in mind: a benign and sustainable environment.
Closing a door on a problem and not opening several new ones is what we must yearn to achieve. Renewable
energy systems and their utility may unintentionally harm a different subset of the ecosystem.
Solar energy systems are a more recent candidate with a high annual growth rate and thus, are still in
the nascent stage to realise the bruised potential of the technology. By 2050, 60 million tons of solar
waste will be produced if it is not resolved efficiently. To achieve environmental sustainability, it is
imperative to work towards recycling redundant systems, establishing producer responsibility, fulfilling
social needs and optimising future technology. By integrating aspects of the research on solar energy
systems, their environmental risks, and their potential to create a sustainable ecosystem, this review article
attempts to cater to environmental decision making and direct the eventual research and analysis
towards their original unified objective.