ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a general overview of relative environmental effects of energy sources, followed with observations of specific areas of concern for a variety of Photovoltaic (PV) sources and how to best minimize these potential adverse effects. It also explores externalities in greater detail. Perhaps one of the more challenging considerations relating to externalities is the debate as to whether they really merit consideration. The reader is encouraged to acknowledge that externalities must be viewed from economic as well as from political perspectives and that scientific, economic, and political considerations often cause the decision-making process to become merged into a complicated maze. The scientific community has reached overwhelming consensus on specific greenhouse gases that cause global climate change and has linked the increase in concentrations of these gases to human activity. The deployment of PV systems has associated environmental and health costs similar to the deployment of other energy technologies.
