Table 19.1 - Overview of significant and potential environmental impacts from energy sources

Sources: EEA-TF and ERM; WHO, 1992

Environmental media Air Water Soil/Land Nature and wildlife / Landscapes
Energy source
Fossil fuels combustion --> increasing levels of greenhouse gases --> climatic effects electricity generation --> thermal releases from cooling raising water temperature mining activities, plants, pipelines --> physical intrusions --> pressure on land resources procuring fossil fuels --> disturbance of natural habitats, exploitation of wilderness or natural areas for surface mining
combustion --> emission of particulates and dust, SO2, H2S, NOx, CO, CO2, CH4, small amounts of heavy metals and radionuclides (coal) --> poor air quality, acid rain, and global warming mining activities --> pressure on available water resources deposition of acidifying compounds --> increasing soil acidity deposition of acidifying compounds --> acidification --> impacts on flora and fauna
storage and transportation of gas --> leaks, explosions and fires coal mining --> liquid mine waste (containing acids and salts) --> water pollution solid wastes and ash disposal (spoil tips) from coal mines --> contamination of water percolating through slag heaps --> groundwater and soil pollution accidental oil --> threats to wildlife and coastal zones
cooling towers --> microclimatic impacts coal washing --> water pollution coal mining activities --> land subsidence mining, electricity generation, waste disposal and transportation (eg, pipelines, pylons) --> visual impacts on the landscape
NOx and SO2 emissions --> deposition --> acidification and eutrophication of waterbodies cooling towers and transmission cables --> visual impacts
stockpiles of coal --> water pollution
oil spills and leaks --> water pollution
combustion of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) --> problems of liquid residual disposal
Nuclear power nuclear accidents --> potential release of radionuclides uranium mine operation --> groundwater contamination nuclear accidents--> risk of soil contamination due to deposition from air nuclear accidents--> risk of impacts through air, soil and water contamination --> secondary impacts on organisms transmission
cooling towers --> microclimatic impacts mine tailing water --> release of toxic metals and radiological wastes improper storage of radioactive wastes --> potential contamination cooling towers and transmission cables --> and visual impacts
plant operation --> thermal releases from cooling water and emissions of radionuclides decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear power plants --> potential contamination
accidental releases --> contamination risk of water resources risk of accidents during transport ofspent fuels --> potential contamination
Hydropower dams --> micro-climatic effects (from flooding of large areas and physical intrusion) dams --> impacts on hydrological cycle (re-routing of rivers), water quality and reliability dams --> land irreversibly flooded (loss of fertile land and forests) flooding --> habitat changes, fish migration
inundation of land to create reservoirs --> CH4 --> global warming dam rupture --> risk of major flooding dam construction --> landslide risks dams and associated infrastructure --> visual intrusion and landscape changes
dams --> increased erosion and sedimentation
Other renewables (biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) biomass combustion --> emissions of CO, VOCs, NOx, particulate matter biomass conversion --> water pollution energy plantations (biomass), wind farms, and solar parks --> pressure on landuse renewable energies --> some habitat and wildlife disturbance (eg tidal barrage schemes)
geothermal energy --> emissions to air geothermal energy --> emissions to water decommissioning of photovoltaics --> toxic pollution wind farms and solar parks --> visual intrusion