Increasing environmental awareness and concern about global warming has accelerated the transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. A renewable source of energy that is environmentally friendly, solar energy has been demonstrated to be one. Although its positive effects can outweigh its negative ones, solar energy facilities can also negatively impact the environment, particularly the local wildlife and water supply.
Equipment made from fossil fuels is often used to power utility-scale solar installations. This releases harmful gases and pollutants into the environment. They also use water to cool turbine generators. An excessive use of water causes strain on the scarce water supply in arid areas. In some cases, solar facilities can negatively impact water supply by polluting groundwater. If solar panels are not properly disposed off, they can also release heavy Metals into the air or water. Additionally, solar farms can reduce the land cover and affect wildlife.
The indirect environmental impact of solar power systems is not limited to the direct ones. They can also have an impact on the soil through extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. If built on a forested area, solar facilities can remove vegetation, decimating the number of trees. This is dangerous for endangered species and impacts wildlife.
Solar developers are responsible for assessing the impact of solar energy and recommending mitigation measures that can be taken to mitigate negative environmental effects. In addition to evaluating the designs and strategies of sites, they seek input from regulators and host communities to ensure compliance with relevant federal, state, and local laws. They also look for healthy ecosystems surrounding the sites.
SETO is an international non-profit organization that coordinates scientific and technological research regarding the interaction between solar energy facilities and wildlife. SETO is a non-profit organization that funds projects. It also encourages sharing information among all stakeholders. These collaboration groups include solar companies and academics as well as environmental non-profit organisations. SETO developed a request to information (RFI), in order to collect feedback from stakeholders regarding solar impacts on ecosystems and wildlife. In 2021, the SETO RFI summary will outline responses from stakeholders.
SETO is also trying to design elements that allow for the recycling of PV module. This is a big challenge for the industry, which is often not equipped to address the issue. Insufficient recycling could result from insufficient awareness about the environmental impact of solar panels. Limited recycling can also lead to a shortage of resources in the future.
SETO is also committed to improving the compatibility for solar development with agricultural land. InSPIRE, a research project exploring the compatibility in solar development with agricultural landscapes of the United States, is called InSPIRE.
The AgriSolar Clearinghouse provides a public communication channel for agrivoltaics. It also serves as a relationship-building resource for industry and government stakeholders, including universities, the agriculture industry, and environmental non-profits.
The Avian-Solar Multi-Agency Collaborative Working Group consists primarily scientists and other experts from universities and solar companies. It works to assess the solar impact on avian populations. They are committed to improving the science of solar energy's impact on avian populations. SETO is funding research on pollinator habitats.