ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some of the key environmental, health, and safety concerns of the various solar technologies, and provides, where possible, mechanisms for mitigation and control of potential problems. Solar heating and cooling of buildings (SHACOB) is the solar energy application most widely used over the near term. Relative to fossil or nuclear energy, SHACOB technology appears almost benign environmentally; indeed, under most circumstances it can be. The major environmental, health, and safety impacts associated with solar thermal power systems can be divided into two general classes: system working fluid/storage media impacts, and ecological impacts. Since ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants will operate in an ocean environment, their effects on ocean ecosystems, climate, and bio systems will be the major environmental concerns. OTEC plant operations modify the natural temperature structures in their vicinity, lowering temperatures slightly at the ocean surface, and perhaps at the level of condenser discharge.
