The depletion of non-renewable resources (i.e. fossil fuels), the global impacts of energy production on natural systems, climate change, the rising costs for conventional energy (especially oil), and demands for energy security are driving investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean energy technology. How we supply and use energy not only affects the bio-physical environment, but also human health and economic wellbeing. According to the World Energy Outlook 2012 New Policies Scenario, global energy demand is predicted to grow by more than one-third through 2035, and has more than doubled in about 40 years.
Renewable energy can have numerous benefits, such as increased energy access in developing countries, public health improvements, climate change mitigation, etc. However, for those benefits to be realized, several sustainability considerations must be addressed in the design. Project barriers, such as cost, host-country regulations, ethical and effective governance, and challenges that arise during project operation must be reconciled. Project managers must have accurate knowledge of energy alternatives and their relative costs and benefits from an economic, social, and environmental perspective. Incentives such as subsidies and tariffs can shift both supply and demand toward more sustainable energy and economic practices. Government, private, or NGO funding can likewise stimulate renewable energy development. Long-term commitments to regular maintenance and monitoring must be established during project design to ensure effectiveness. Associated long-term recurrent costs must also be determined and budgeted prior to project initiation, including the sustainability of a project after NGO, donor, or government support ends.
This guideline is ultimately intended to inform developers and implementers of small-scale energy projects about environmentally sound design (ESD). Distinguishing “small-scale activities” from not small-scale ones is subjective. In this document, the definition will be considered to include, but not be limited to, households or individual or cooperative farms; community-level projects; micro- and small enterprises; and institutional projects such as schools, health clinics, and hospitals.
Resources
Solar Energy
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- Doig, A. (2007, October 2). Solar Photovoltaic Energy . Retrieved October 7, 2013, from Practical Action: http://practicalaction.org/solar-photovoltaic-energy
- Environmental Impacts of Solar Power. (2013, March 5). Retrieved October 4, 2013, from Union of Concerned Scientists : http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-solar-power.html
- European Parliament, Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA), Future Metal Demand from Photovoltaic Cells and Wind Turbines, Directorate General for Internal Policies Directorate G: Impact Assessment, February 2012, pp. 25-26. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/etudes/join/2011/471604/IPOL-JOIN_ET(2011)471604_EN.pdf
- Frankl, Paolo, and Stefan Nowak. Technology Roadmap: Solar Photovoltaic Energy. Paris: International Energy Agency.
- How Solar Energy Works. (2009, December 16). Retrieved October 4, 2013, from Union of Concerned Scientists : http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-solar-energy-works.html
- Maupoux, M. (2012, May). Practical Action. Retrieved October 11, 2013, from Solar (PV) Water Pumping: http://practicalaction.org/solar-photovoltaic-waterpumping-1
- Punter, A. (2011, November). Solar Thermal Energy. Retrieved October 7, 2013, from Practice Action: http://practicalaction.org/solar-thermal-energy
- Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS. (n.d.). Retrieved October 4, 2013, from Solar Energy Development Environmental Considerations: http://solareis.anl.gov/guide/environment/
- Technology: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2013, from Powering Health: http://www.poweringhealth.org/index.php/topics/technology/solar-pv
- Tsoutsos, T., Frantzeskaki, N., & Gekas, V. (2005). Environmental impacts from the solar energy technologies. Energy Policy, 289-296.
- Wamukonya, N. (2007). Solar home system electrification as a viable technology option for Africa's development . Energy Policy, 6-14.
- Watkins, T. (2013, January 20). EarthSpark uses micro-grid, pre-pay electricity to power homes in Haiti. Haiti Rewired.
Wind Energy
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- Alliance for Rural Electrification. (2012). The Potential of Small and Medium Wind Energy in Developing Countries. Brussels: Alliance for Rural Electification.
- Ashden. (2013). Ashden Case Study: Cabeolica, Cape Verde. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Ashden Awards: http://www.ashden.org/winners/cabeolica13
- Noble, N. (2008, February). Practical Action. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Windpumping: http://practicalaction.org/wind-pumping-1
- REN21: Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century. (2013). Renewables 2013 Global Status Report. Paris, France: REN21 Secretariat.
- Roland, S. (2013, April 1). Promoting Small Wind in Developing Markets. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Renewable Energy World: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/04/promoting-small-wind-in-developing-markets
- Wheldon, D. A. (2013, September 2013). What can a small island teach us about wind power? England. Retrieved 11 1, 2013, from http://www.ashden.org/blog/what-small-island-can-teach-rest-world-about-wind-power
- Wiemann, M. (2013, May 10). Small Wind in a Developing World. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Renewable Energy Focus: http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/32333/small-wind-in-a-developing-world/
Small hydro power
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- State Goverment Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries. (2011, December 10). Environmental Impact of Dams, Wiers & Pumping. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Water in the Environment: http://www.water.vic.gov.au/environment/rivers/flows/impacts
- U.S. Department of Energy. (2001, July). Small Hydropower Systems. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from National Renewable Energy Laboratory: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy01osti/29065.pdf
Geothermal energy
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- Andritsos, N, P Dalampakis, and N Kolios. "GeoHeat Center." Use of Geothermal Energy for Tomato Drying. March 2003. http://geoheat.oit.edu/bulletin/bull24-1/art3.pdf (accessed October 29, 2013).
- Brown, Valerie J. "Industry Issues: Putting the Heat on Gas." Environmental Health Perspectives, 2007.
- Clark, Corrie, John Sullivan, Chris Harto, Jeongwoo Han, and Michael Wang. "Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Systems." Thirty-Seventh Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering. Stanford, California, 2012.
- "Enhanced Geothermal Systems." Environmental Impacts, Attributes, and Feasibility Criteria. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/pdfs/egs_chapter_8.pdf (accessed October 30, 2013).
- Fridleifsson, Ingvar B. "Geothermal energy for the benefit of the people." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2001: 299–312.
- Geothermal Energy Association. Geothermal Basics- Power Plant Costs. http://www.geo-energy.org/geo_basics_plant_cost.aspx (accessed October 30, 2013).
- Geothermal Power Plants — Minimizing Land Use and Impact. January 17, 2006. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/geopower_landuse.html (accessed October 30, 2013).
- Goosen, Mattheus, Hacene Mahmoudi, and Noreddine Ghaffour. "Water Desalination Using Geothermal Energy." Energies, 2010.
- Lund, John W, and Derek H Freeston. "World-wide Direct Uses of Geothermal Energy 2000." World Geothermal Congress. Tohoku, Japan, 2000.
- Lund, John W. Direct Heat Utilization of Geothermal Energy. http://www.oregon.gov/energy/RENEW/Geothermal/docs/directheat03-USa.pdf (accessed October 30, 2013).
- "GeoHeat Center." Small Geothermal Power Project Examples. June 1999. http://geoheat.oit.edu/bulletin/bull20-2/art2.pdf (accessed November 1, 2013).
- National Geographic. Geothermal Energy: Tapping the Earth's Heat. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/geothermal-profile/#close-modal (accessed November 1, 2013).
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Geothermal Energy Basics. May 30, 2012. http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_geothermal.html (accessed October 30, 2013).
Bioenergy: biogas
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- Aberdeen, D.-U. o. (2011). The Potential of Small-Scale Biogas Digesters to Alleviate Poverty and Improve Long Term Sustainability of Ecosystem Services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Bond, T., & Templeton, M. (2011). History and future of domestic biogas plants in the developing world. Energy for Sustainable Development.
- Brown, V. (2006). Biogas: a Bright Idea for Africa. Environmental Health Perspectives.
- Cookstoves, G. A. (2011). Igniting Change: A Strategy for Universal Adoption of Clean Cookstoves and Fuels.
- Differ, A Rough Guide to Clean Cookstoves , http://www.differgroup.com/Portals/53/Analysis/Cookstoves_Part1_Final.pdf, March 2012, p.3
- Holm Nielson, J., Al Seadi, T., & Oleskowicz-Popiel, P. (2009). The future of anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization. Bioresource Technology.
- Kartha, S., & Larson, E. (2000). Bioenergy Primer: Modernised Biomass Energy for Sustainable Development . Denmark: United Nations Publications.
- Kartha, S., & Larson, E. (2000). Modernised Biomass Energy for Sustainable Development. Denmark: United Nations Publications.
- Renewable Nature Gas (Biogas). (2013). Retrieved from Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/emerging_biogas.html
- Steets, Julia. Climate Change: From Cows to Kilowatts – A Case Study in Successful Technology Transfer. April 2008. http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2008/02/article_0002.html (accessed October 25, 2013).
- Sustainable Energy Project Support: Powering Milk Chilling Units with Biogas. (2013). Retrieved October 2, 2013, from WISIONS of Sustainability: http://www.wisions.net/projects/powering-milk-chilling-units-with-biogas%20-%20project69
- The Issues: Environment. (2012). Retrieved from Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves: http://www.cleancookstoves.org/our-work/the-issues/environment.html
Bioenergy: solid biomass
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- Aberdeen, D.-U. o. (2011). The Potential of Small-Scale Biogas Digesters to Alleviate Poverty and Improve Long Term Sustainability of Ecosystem Services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Bond, T., & Templeton, M. (2011). History and future of domestic biogas plants in the developing world. Energy for Sustainable Development.
- Brown, V. (2006). Biogas: a Bright Idea for Africa. Environmental Health Perspectives.
- Cookstoves, G. A. (2011). Igniting Change: A Strategy for Universal Adoption of Clean Cookstoves and Fuels.
- Cookstove Technology. http://www.cleancookstoves.org/our-work/the-solutions/cookstove-technology.html (accessed October 25, 2013).
- Holm Nielson, J., Al Seadi, T., & Oleskowicz-Popiel, P. (2009). The future of anaerobic digestion and biogas utilization. Bioresource Technology.
- Kartha, S., & Larson, E. (2000). Bioenergy Primer: Modernised Biomass Energy for Sustainable Development . Denmark: United Nations Publications.
- Kartha, S., & Larson, E. (2000). Modernised Biomass Energy for Sustainable Development. Denmark: United Nations Publications.
- Renewable Nature Gas (Biogas). (2013). Retrieved from Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/emerging_biogas.html
- Sustainable Energy Project Support: Powering Milk Chilling Units with Biogas. (2013). Retrieved October 2, 2013, from WISIONS of Sustainability: http://www.wisions.net/projects/powering-milk-chilling-units-with-biogas%20-%20project69
- The Issues: Environment. (2012). Retrieved from Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves: http://www.cleancookstoves.org/our-work/the-issues/environment.html
Bioenergy: biofuels
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- FACT Foundation. (2011). End Report FACT pilot project "Jatropha oil for local development in Mozambique" 2007-2010. FACT Foundation.
- Food and Agriculture Organization. (2013). Biofuels and the Sustainability Challenge: A global assessment of sustainability issues, trends, and policies for biofuels and related feedstocks. Rome: Trade and Markets Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- International Energy Agency. (2008, December 10). From 1st- To 2nd- Generation Biofuel Technologies: AN Overview of Current Industry and RD&D Activities. Paris: OECD.
- International Energy Agency. (2013, July). Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2013. Paris: OECD/IEA.
- Portale, E. (2012). Socio-Economic Sustainability of Biofuel Production in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from a Jatropha Outgrower Model in Rural Tanzania. Cambridge: Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
- Wang, M. Q. (2011). Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Effects of Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol with Technology Improvements and Land Use Changes. Biomass & Bioenergy, 11.
Climate change and impact Assessment
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA). FasTips #3. February 2013. Climate Smart Decisions. http://www.iaia.org/publicdocuments/special-publications/fast-tips/Fastips_3%20Climate%20Smart%20Decisions.pdf
The Concept of Cumulative Environmental Effects
(See the Annotated References for additional resources)
- See Canter, Larry and Bill Ross, State of Practice of Cumulative Effects Assessment and Management: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, (2008).17pp
http://www.iaia.org/iaia08calgary/documents/Keynote_AddressCanterandRoss.pdf
- IAIA Impact Assessment Wiki, Cumulative Effects Assessment and Management (CEAM)
Modified 22 Sep 2009 by Bridget John. http://www.iaia.org/iaiawiki/cea.ashx