Renewable Energy Health Benefits – Renewable energy has the potential to curb greenhouse gas emissions, lower electricity costs, and enrich communities. It also benefits public health.
In July 2019, the United States of America
Renewable Energy Health Benefits
The EPA conducted a study “to assist state and local governments and other organizations in evaluating public financial investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.” The fossil fuel industry has long been known to be harmful to human health, particularly historically benefiting communities living near toxic emissions. Quantifying the health benefits of renewable energy in dollars can be a tool to convince project engineers more in the event.
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The EPA report estimates the health benefits of four different projects: integrated energy efficiency, peak energy efficiency, solar energy, and wind energy. To be consistent with our renewable energy experience, the data in this post only uses the health benefits of solar and wind power (whichever is less important) to arrive at a conservative estimate of savings.
The reported values are “profit per kilowatt-hour” (BPK), expressed in hundreds per kilowatt-hour. Here’s how the EPA came up with the latest numbers:
Report on health hazards caused by nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and PM2.5. These substances contribute to heart attacks, asthma and respiratory diseases. However, the report recognizes that fossil fuel power generation poses health risks: “reduced visibility, accelerated wear and tear of materials (from acid rain and erosion)” and “return to recreational services.” These side effects should be considered in decision making, but are not included in the study.
In addition to reducing air quality, fossil fuels affect public health. Before burning, pine and oil contaminate water and land. Gas leaks and leaks in the house can trigger an asthma attack or cause an explosion. All these negative effects must be considered in a comprehensive argument for renewable energy.
Pros And Cons Of Nonrenewable Energy
Learn about the benefits of healthy home gas, alternative technology options, and how cities can be leaders in reducing gas use in this episode of the Local Energy Regulation podcast.
The report is not analyzed by state, but by ten geographic regions covering the 48 contiguous states. Here are the regions (adjusted to state boundaries for research purposes);
The health benefits of renewable energy vary by country for many reasons. First, each region has its own electricity portfolio. California’s electricity is primarily gas-fired, and therefore has less of a qualified health impact (although substantial evidence suggests that leaks in gas extraction and delivery have significant adverse effects). Second, the EPA says that sulfur dioxide emissions are higher in the Midwest, which is more likely to be AM.
In the atmosphere (most harmful compounds). This will increase the benefits of renewable energy for the health of the population in the region. Finally, each region has a different population density. Because each calculated value is generated per kilowatt hour, higher population density results in higher population health benefits. This is why BPK values are higher in the East than in the South, where they are less affected by the region’s air quality.
Clean Energy Produces Billions In Health Benefits, Study Finds
The results of studies with higher and lower estimates come because of the uncertainty of the health effects of AM.
The EPA study provides results for as many as three and seven percent. The information below estimates only three percent, because this figure is more significant for future generations.
A similar but broader assessment of the health benefits of renewable energy see this report from Harvard researchers.
Our results vary by region for reasons similar to health hours per kilowatt. In addition, the data varies by region due to different electricity prices. Electricity is very expensive in California and the East. This lowers the portion of the price of electricity that the public health pays.
Renewable Energy And Sustainable Development
In a low-cost scenario, the health benefits of clean energy range from 3% to 29% of electricity costs for residential customers. In the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, health benefits account for the largest share of electricity costs.
The maximum price of the mission shows much more variation. In this case, the health benefits of clean energy range from 6% to 65% of the cost of electricity. In 12 states, renewable energy sources account for more than half of local electricity.
The results provide another approach to clean, locally produced energy. The EPA’s health assessment model only works to replace 15% of the electricity generated in any given state, but every state has the potential to generate a lot of clean energy – and more.
Because the EPA’s study is not prospective, it does not take into account that the adverse health effects of fossil fuels increase as the energy is produced dirtier. The EPA reports that the benefits of renewable energy per kilowatt-hour, excluding the harmful health effects of carbon dioxide (heat stress, vector-borne diseases), are estimated to be small.
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In the study’s conclusion, the EPA found that the health benefits of clean energy outweigh the technology in some cases. If all the benefits of clean energy are combined, the benefits of clean energy can be exceeded in all cases.
This article was first published. For timely updates, follow John Farrell on Twitter or receive weekly updates from Energy Democracy.
Featured Photo Credit: Maciek Lulko via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0) / Tim Green via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Mary McCoy is a researcher at the Energy Democracy Initiative. In this role he contributes blog posts, podcasts, video content and interactive features. Solar energy is saving dollars – and there’s only one way to survive: by replacing fossil fuels.
What Is Clean Energy? How Does It Work? Why Is It So Important?
Solar energy is attractive for many reasons; It creates jobs, supports the economic development of regions and states, and lowers electricity costs over time. However, its biggest benefit is that it makes electricity generated from fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels for electricity is deadly, so solar can also save lives — but how can we quantify these benefits?
A 2016 study conducted as part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Sunshot initiative addressed this question. The goal of the Sunshot Initiative is to lower the cost of installed solar energy to 6 cents per kilowatt and in turn increase solar adoption across large parts of the United States. she is Electricity supply: 14 percent in 2030, 27 percent in 2050.
Although the Settings initiative was only recently launched, its benefits are already being seen. Some of the effects we see from installed and operational solar power are illustrated in the chart below:
That reduction is 17 million metric tons of CO2 per year, a global annual benefit of $700 million, “a reduction of 10,000, 10,300, and 1,200 metric tons of SO2, NOx, and PM2.5.” The benefits of indoor air quality include fewer sick days from work, fewer childhood asthma attacks, and fewer deaths from circulatory and respiratory diseases.
Climate Change And Biodiversity: ‘how To Support Climate Action And Biodiversity’ Infographic
Between 2015 and 2050, this would save 10 percent of electricity grid emissions and increase up to $259 billion in global climate benefits. Add to that the $167 billion worth of particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and the damage to the environment and health is significant. In total, this is a 46 trillion gallon reduction in water abstractions and a 5 trillion gallon reduction in water use by the energy sector. Total pollution and climate benefits are at least $400 billion over a 35-year period in 2016 dollars.
The huge health and environmental benefits are frankly significant in their own right. But this is the only relation of the solar card. The world doubled its solar capacity in 2016, largely due to lower costs. More Americans are now working on solar power than Apple, Facebook and Google. Elon Musk and Tesla are taking their supercharger network off the grid and going almost entirely solar. No matter where you live, there’s no doubt that solar power will soon be cheaper.
It is unclear what the Sunshot project will look like in the coming year. The DOE made significant cuts in both versions of the 2018 White House budget, including the case of clean energy programs like Sunshot, but those programs were only 20 percent of the DOE’s budget.
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Environmental Impacts Of Renewable Energy
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Author by : Frank R. Spellman
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2014-12-02
Publisher by : CRC Press
ISBN :
Description : Renewable Energy Has a Good Side and a Bad Side... Evaluate Both All energy sources affect the environment in which we live. While fossil fuels may essentially do more harm, renewable energy sources can also pose a threat to the environment. Allowing for the various renewable energy sources: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal, Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy examines the environmental effects of all available renewable or alternative sources, as they increasingly play a large part in our energy supply, and provides a counterargument about the benefits of renewable energy. This book discusses both the merits and the physical, mechanical, electrical, and environmental limitations of renewable sources of energy. It discusses the pros and cons of renewable energy, addresses environmental issues and concerns, and determines ways to avoid or minimize these impacts. This text contains nine chapters reviewing in depth: Renewable energy impact on the environment Major renewable energy types Environmental health, safety, and ecological impacts Impact on tribal sacrosanct areas Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy covers the adverse effects of major renewable energy sources. Environmental engineers working with renewable energy, environmental consultants/managers working with municipalities regarding environmental impact and land use, and undergraduate students taking related courses in environmental college programs can greatly benefit from this text....
The Power Of Renewables
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Author by : Chinese Academy of Engineering
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2011-01-29
Publisher by : National Academies Press
ISBN :
Description : The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable....
Renewable Energy And Wildlife Conservation
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Author by : Christopher E. Moorman
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2019-09-10
Publisher by : JHU Press
ISBN :
Description : Brings together disparate conversations about wildlife conservation and renewable energy, suggesting ways these two critical fields can work hand in hand. Renewable energy is often termed simply "green energy," but its effects on wildlife and other forms of biodiversity can be quite complex. While capturing renewable resources like wind, solar, and energy from biomass can require more land than fossil fuel production, potentially displacing wildlife habitat, renewable energy infrastructure can also create habitat and promote species health when thoughtfully implemented. The authors of Renewable Energy and Wildlife Conservation argue that in order to achieve a balanced plan for addressing these two crucially important sustainability issues, our actions at the nexus of these fields must be directed by current scientific information related to the ecological effects of renewable energy production. Synthesizing an extensive, rapidly growing base of research and insights from practitioners into a single, comprehensive resource, contributors to this volume • describe processes to generate renewable energy, focusing on the Big Four renewables—wind, bioenergy, solar energy, and hydroelectric power • review the documented effects of renewable energy production on wildlife and wildlife habitats • consider current and future policy directives, suggesting ways industrial-scale renewables production can be developed to minimize harm to wildlife populations • explain recent advances in renewable power technologies • identify urgent research needs at the intersection of renewables and wildlife conservation Relevant to policy makers and industry professionals—many of whom believe renewables are the best path forward as the world seeks to meet its expanding energy needs—and wildlife conservationists—many of whom are alarmed at the rate of renewables-related habitat conversion—this detailed book culminates with a chapter underscoring emerging opportunities in renewable energy ecology. Contributors: Edward B. Arnett, Brian B. Boroski, Regan Dohm, David Drake, Sarah R. Fritts, Rachel Greene, Steven M. Grodsky, Amanda M. Hale, Cris D. Hein, Rebecca R. Hernandez, Jessica A. Homyack, Henriette I. Jager, Nicole M. Korfanta, James A. Martin, Christopher E. Moorman, Clint Otto, Christine A. Ribic, Susan P. Rupp, Jake Verschuyl, Lindsay M. Wickman, T. Bently Wigley, Victoria H. Zero...
Hidden Costs Of Energy
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Author by : National Research Council
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2010-06-26
Publisher by : National Academies Press
ISBN :
Description : Despite the many benefits of energy, most of which are reflected in energy market prices, the production, distribution, and use of energy causes negative effects. Many of these negative effects are not reflected in energy market prices. When market failures like this occur, there may be a case for government interventions in the form of regulations, taxes, fees, tradable permits, or other instruments that will motivate recognition of these external or hidden costs. The Hidden Costs of Energy defines and evaluates key external costs and benefits that are associated with the production, distribution, and use of energy, but are not reflected in market prices. The damage estimates presented are substantial and reflect damages from air pollution associated with electricity generation, motor vehicle transportation, and heat generation. The book also considers other effects not quantified in dollar amounts, such as damages from climate change, effects of some air pollutants such as mercury, and risks to national security. While not a comprehensive guide to policy, this analysis indicates that major initiatives to further reduce other emissions, improve energy efficiency, or shift to a cleaner electricity generating mix could substantially reduce the damages of external effects. A first step in minimizing the adverse consequences of new energy technologies is to better understand these external effects and damages. The Hidden Costs of Energy will therefore be a vital informational tool for government policy makers, scientists, and economists in even the earliest stages of research and development on energy technologies....
Communicating On Climate Change And Health Toolkit For Health Professionals
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Author by : World Health Organization
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2024-03-22
Publisher by : World Health Organization
ISBN :
Description : While climate change is a big threat to health, implementing solutions to address climate change presents a huge opportunity to promote better health and protect people from climate-sensitive diseases. Communicating the health risks of climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions is both necessary and helpful. Health professionals are well-placed to play a unique role in helping their communities understand climate change, protect themselves, and realize the health benefits of climate solutions. This toolkit aims to help health professionals effectively communicate about climate change and health....
Communities And The Clean Energy Revolution
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Author by : Melanie J. La Rosa
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2022-01-14
Publisher by : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN :
Description : Communities and the Clean Energy Revolution: Public Health, Economics, Design, and Transformation is an engaging and interdisciplinary investigation into clean energy systems such as solar and wind power and the need to transform our energy system. Looking at the intersection of clean energy with community engagement, diversity, and economic development, it is a remarkably accessible account from the front lines of the clean energy revolution. Organized as a series of case studies set in eight locations, the author profiles people leading varied renewable energy projects from using solar to survive hurricanes to passing a Green New Deal bill for America’s largest city, the beginnings of the offshore wind industry, modular solar power systems, and changing the culture of an entire utility. Each case study is set into context of broader research, addressing how cities and states meet clean energy goals, howsolar or wind power address blackouts, and how individuals can accelerate clean energy for their home, business, or community. This book goes beyond merely explaining clean energy transition by providing unique insight into the calls for a complete transformation of America’s energy system....
The Clean Energy Revolution
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Author by : Hseham Amrahs
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2023-12-31
Publisher by : Mahesh Dutt Sharma
ISBN :
Description : The need for clean energy is not only a matter of environmental responsibility but also one of social and economic justice. The benefits of clean energy, such as reduced pollution and improved public health, are often overlooked in discussions about climate change. By promoting clean energy, we can not only reduce our carbon footprint but also create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. This book, "The Clean Energy Revolution," is a comprehensive guide to the world of clean energy. The goal of this book is to make clean energy accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or level of knowledge. Whether you are an expert in the field or just starting to learn about clean energy, this book is for you....
