ABSTRACT
The electrical industry is one of the most important, widespread, and environmentally damaging in the world. Fundamental to modern economic development, electricity is the key energy source for most industries and has a prominent role in the increasingly important electronic and information sectors. Electricity is produced in virtually every region in the world to serve residential and industrial needs. Nearly all electricity is generated using thermal, hydroelectric, or nuclear resources, or some combination of these. The production and transmission of electricity create diverse and substantial environmental impacts. Air emissions from thermal power generation, flooding from hydroelectric power generation, radioactive releases from accidents at nuclear power stations, and clearing of forest lands for transmission lines are sources of environmental controversy and concern around the world. Because of its sizable and often highly publicized environmental impacts, the electrical industry is subject to strong pressure from both government and the public to improve its environmental performance. In response, North American, European, and Japanese electric utilities have introduced extensive and often costly environmental-protection works and programs. These measures have moved the electrical industry to the forefront of environmental integration (integrating environmental protection into the production cycle) and provided models for other industries for incorporating environmental factors into their plans, decisions, and actions.
