Reduced ecosystem services of desert plants from ground-mounted solar energy development

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 1036-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Grodsky ◽  
Rebecca R. Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Desert Plants

Reduced ecosystem services of desert plants from ground-mounted solar energy development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Grodsky ◽  
Rebecca R. Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Desert Plant ◽  
Desert Plants ◽  
Perennial Plant ◽  
Desert Scrub

<p>Deserts are prioritized as recipient environments for solar energy development; however, the impacts of this development on desert plant communities are unknown. Desert plants represent long-standing ecological, economic and cultural resources for humans, especially indigenous peoples, but their role in supplying ecosystem services (ESs) remains understudied. We measured the effect of solar energy development decisions on desert plants at one of the world’s largest concentrating solar power plants (Ivanpah, California; capacity of 392 MW). We documented the negative effects of solar energy development on the desert scrub plant community. Perennial plant cover and structure are lower in bladed treatments than mowed treatments, which are, in turn, lower than the perennial plant cover and structure recorded in undeveloped controls. We determined that cacti species and Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) are particularly vulnerable to solar development (that is, blading, mowing), whereas Schismus spp.—invasive annual grasses—are facilitated by blading. The desert scrub community confers 188 instances of ESs, including cultural services to 18 Native American ethnic groups. Cultural, provisioning and regulating ESs of desert plants are lower in bladed and mowed treatments than in undeveloped controls. Our study demonstrates the potential for solar energy development in deserts to reduce biodiversity and socioecological resources, as well as the role that ESs play in informing energy transitions that are sustainable and just.</p>

Evaluating the Ecosystem Service Benefits of Native Vegetation Management at Solar Energy Facilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leroy Walston ◽  
Heidi Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Vegetation Management ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Pollination Services

<p>Concomitant with the increase in solar photovoltaic (PV) energy development over the past decade has been the increasing emphasis on land sharing strategies that maximize the land use efficiency of solar energy developments.  Many of these strategies focus on improving the compatibility of solar energy development with other co-located land uses (e.g., agriculture) and by improving several ecosystem services that could have natural, societal, and industrial benefits. One such land opportunity is the restoration and management of native grassland vegetation beneath ground-mounted PV solar energy facilities, which has the potential to restore native habitat to conserve biodiversity and restore previously altered ecosystem services (e.g., natural pollination services). This presentation will discuss various assessment and modeling approaches to evaluate the scale and magnitude of the ecosystem services provided by different vegetation management strategies at solar PV energy development sites. This work demonstrates how multifunctional land uses in energy systems represents a win-win solution for energy and the environment by optimizing energy-food-ecology synergies. This work was conducted by Argonne National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.</p>

scholarly journals Solar Energy Development Assistance for Fort Hunter Liggett

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan J. Russo ◽  
Michael G. Hoffman ◽  
William D. Chvala
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Development Assistance ◽  
Energy Development

https://fisheries.org/doi/9781934874301-ch19

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Seafloor Mapping ◽  
The U.S

<i>Abstract</i> .—The Gulf of Maine’s seafloor provides a wide array of valuable ecosystem services, including provision of habitat for commercially and ecologically important mammals, seabirds, fish, and invertebrates. Implementing ecosystem-based management will require improved information about the habitats of economically and ecologically important species and the impacts of different human activities, such as fish harvesting, offshore energy development, and shipping, to balance these competing needs. Currently, there is limited high resolution seabed substrate information in the Gulf of Maine, especially in the U.S. portion, because of the high cost of multi-beam echo sounder surveys. Moreover, this lack of coverage limits the ability of managers to use seafloor substrate information in ecosystem management activities, such as fisheries management, that require more holistic coverage of the bioregion. Therefore, the potential need for seafloor mapping in this region is enormous given the value of accurate seafloor information to managers in charge of minimizing impacts to and sustaining the ecosystem services provided by benthic habitat in the Gulf of Maine.

Renewable Energy Sources Development in Rural Areas of African Countries

2019 ◽  
pp. 154-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liudmila V. Nefedova ◽  
Alexander Alexsvitch Solovyev ◽  
Olena Popova
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Decentralized Energy

The prospects of increasing access to electricity for the population of rural areas of Africa are considered. The main international funds and organizations aimed at sustainable energy development in Africa are described. An analysis of the state and possible options for using renewable energy sources for this purpose in decentralized energy supply through the creation of mini-grids or stand-alone systems is given. The risks by developing renewable energy sources in rural areas and modern mechanisms for financing in solar energy are presented.

Renewable Energy Sources Development in Rural Areas of African Countries

2021 ◽  
pp. 1691-1704
Author(s):  
Liudmila V. Nefedova ◽  
Alexander Alexsvitch Solovyev ◽  
Olena Popova
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Decentralized Energy

The prospects of increasing access to electricity for the population of rural areas of Africa are considered. The main international funds and organizations aimed at sustainable energy development in Africa are described. An analysis of the state and possible options for using renewable energy sources for this purpose in decentralized energy supply through the creation of mini-grids or stand-alone systems is given. The risks by developing renewable energy sources in rural areas and modern mechanisms for financing in solar energy are presented.

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