review · Environmental Chemistry Letters
This review examines the social, environmental, and economic consequences of integrating renewable energies into the electricity sector. It highlights that while the global shift to an electrical-based society is seen as an ecological improvement, the electricity industry remains a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions. The research found that implementing various renewable energy technologies, including solar photovoltaic, battery storage, wind, hydropower, and bioenergy, could create 504,000 jobs by 2030 and 4.18 million jobs by 2050. For desalination, hybrid photovoltaic/wind/battery systems supported by a diesel generator can reduce water production costs by 69% and environmental effects by 90% compared to full fossil fuel systems. The study also concludes that hybrid energy systems are more reliable and better equipped to withstand climate change impacts than single energy systems.
Understanding the broad impacts of renewable energy integration is crucial for a sustainable future. This research provides insights into how renewable energy can not only reduce carbon emissions but also create jobs, lower costs in critical sectors like desalination, and enhance the resilience of power grids against climate change.
This review provides evidence for policymakers and investors considering large-scale renewable energy projects, particularly in job creation and cost-effective, environmentally friendly desalination. The findings on hybrid system reliability could inform the development and deployment of more robust energy infrastructure. This research is at a review and policy recommendation stage, indicating potential for applied research and development in specific hybrid energy solutions.
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Abstract The global shift from a fossil fuel-based to an electrical-based society is commonly viewed as an ecological improvement. However, the electrical power industry is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions, and incorporating renewable energy can still negatively impact the environment. Despite rising research in renewable energy, the impact of renewable energy consumption on the environment is poorly known. Here, we review the integration of renewable energies into the electricity sector from social, environmental, and economic perspectives. We found that implementing solar photovoltaic, battery storage, wind, hydropower, and bioenergy can provide 504,000 jobs in 2030 and 4.18 million jobs in 2050. For desalinization, photovoltaic/wind/battery storage systems supported by a diesel generator can reduce the cost of water production by 69% and adverse environmental effects by 90%, compared to full fossil fuel systems. The potential of carbon emission reduction increases with the percentage of renewable energy sources utilized. The photovoltaic/wind/hydroelectric system is the most effective in addressing climate change, producing a 2.11–5.46% increase in power generation and a 3.74–71.61% guarantee in share ratios. Compared to single energy systems, hybrid energy systems are more reliable and better equipped to withstand the impacts of climate change on the power supply.
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DOI: 10.1007/s10311-023-01587-1
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