Environmental Impacts of Renewables Flashcards

A solar farm in the Mojave Desert seeks environmental permits. Which species-specific concern is most likely to require mitigation?

Answer: Desert tortoise habitat displacement

The desert tortoise is a federally threatened species whose habitat overlaps extensively with utility-scale solar development sites in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.

What is 'energy payback period' and why is it relevant to environmental assessment of renewables?

Answer: The time needed for a renewable system to generate the energy used in its production

Energy payback period measures environmental efficiency — a shorter payback means the system spends more of its life genuinely offsetting fossil fuel emissions rather than repaying its manufacturing debt.

Which wind energy development scenario raises the greatest concern for bat mortality?

Answer: Mountain ridge turbines near forested areas during migration season

Forested ridgelines concentrate migrating bats following terrain, and turbine blades create barotrauma (internal injuries from pressure change) that kills bats even without direct contact.

In lifecycle analysis (LCA) of renewable energy, what does the term 'system boundary' define?

Answer: The scope of processes and inputs included in the environmental accounting

System boundary determines which upstream (raw material extraction) and downstream (end-of-life) stages are counted in the LCA, directly affecting the completeness and comparability of results.

Thin-film solar panels using cadmium telluride (CdTe) raise environmental concerns primarily because cadmium is:

Answer: A heavy metal that is toxic and persists in the environment

Cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal that bioaccumulates in ecosystems and can leach from panels in landfills if not properly managed at end-of-life.

What environmental risk is specifically associated with enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)?

Answer: Induced seismicity from hydraulic fracturing of rock

EGS injects water at high pressure to fracture deep rock, a process that can trigger minor to moderate earthquakes — a risk that has caused project suspensions in Switzerland and South Korea.

Which federal law most directly governs the environmental review process for large renewable energy projects on public lands in the US?

Answer: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

NEPA requires federal agencies to assess environmental impacts through Environmental Assessments (EAs) or Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) before approving major projects on federal land.