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Power Generation and Its Impacts on the Environment

Article in Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · January 2015

DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2015/17143

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 Journal of Scientific Research & Reports
7(7): 551-566, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.236
ISSN: 2320-0227

SCIENCEDOMAIN international
www.sciencedomain.org

Power Generation and Its Impacts on the

Environment
Kadiri Kamoru Oluwatoyin1, Agbaje Micheal Oluwasegun1* and A. O. Alabi2
1
Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Nigeria.
2
Department of Computer Technology Engineering, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Nigeria.

Authors’ contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Authors KKO and AMO designed the
study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript
and managed literature searches. Authors KKO, AMO and AOA managed the analysis of the study
and literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Article Information

DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2015/17143
Editor(s):
(1) Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA),
Greece.
Reviewers:
(1) Anonymous, Department of Electrical Engineering, St. John’s University, New York, USA.
(2) Sami Ibrahim Atia, Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
(3) Anonymous, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland.
(4) Anonymous, India.
Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history.php?iid=1131&id=22&aid=9635

th
Received 27 February 2015
Original Research Article Accepted 4th May 2015
th
Published 6 June 2015

ABSTRACT
Power generation is the means of generating power supply into the society. This paper tells how
power is being generated from various sources (nuclear, coal, solar, wind, natural gas, water,
geothermal, biomass), its major impacts on the society and the possible solution to problems that
arise from the process of power generation through the various means considered. The various
methods of generating power, no matter how beneficial, still have one or two short-comings which
might constitute threat to the peaceful coexistence of living things in the environment. Some of
these shortcomings are considered in this paper with possible solutions suggested. Over-aged
transmission and distribution lines, unequal phase loads, etc. contribute to electrical power losses
in transmission and distribution in Nigeria.
To solve these problems, control measures such as introducing more substations, implementing
pre-paid metering systems, using conductors of appropriate sizes and re-aligning the lines are
suggested. In order to ensure sustainable power generation, foreign participation based on
experience should be encouraged in the Nigerian power sector, the sources of fuel for electricity
generating stations should be diversified, etc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Corresponding author: Email: michealagbaje@gmail.com;

 Oluwatoyin et al; JSRR, 7(7): 551-566, 2015; Article no.JSRR.2015.236

Keywords: Power; nuclear; solar; hydro-electric; wind; geo- thermal; coal; natural gas; biomass.

1. INTRODUCTION generate electricity, release of poisonous gases

into the atmosphere is absent.
In engineering process, power generation deals
with the various processes through which 2. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
electricity is being generated. These processes
include: combustion, fission, etc. The various The objectives of this study are as follows:
sources of power includes nuclear, natural gas,
coal, oil, and the renewable sources like wind,  To consider the sources of power
water, solar, etc. The consumption rate of fossil, generation,
nuclear and renewable fuels in the year 2005 is  To shed light on ways by which electricity
revealed on pie chart in Fig. 1. From the figure, it is being generated from the various
can be deduced that the source of energy which sources,
was mostly depended upon is oil (40%), followed  To observe the impacts of the various
by natural gas (23%), coal (23%), nuclear (8%) sources of power generation on the
and finally, the renewable energy sources (6%). environment; either positive and/or
However, the safest sources of energy, which is negative,
environment friendly, are the renewable sources  To suggest possible solutions to the
of energy. They include; wind, water and solar. problems that arises during the process of
They pose the minutest threat to the habitats. power generation.
When using the renewable energy sources to

Nuclear Renewable
8% 6%

Natural Gas
23%
Oil
40%

Coal
23%

Fig. 1. Statistics of worldwide fossil, nuclear, and renewable fuels consumption in 2005 [1]

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3. EVOLUTION OF POWER GENERATION generated was 4,632MW, being managed by

972,000 population up to the year 2000 when
Electricity became available for use in technology gas-steam, coal, nuclear and gas were being
by the help of Michael Faraday when he invented made use of for power generation. 48% of the
the electric dynamo. This became a practical power came from gas-steam, 28% came from
solution to the problem of electricity generation. coal, 15% from nuclear while 9% came from gas.
He did this in the year 1831, by the movement of The total amount of power produced was
a loop of wire or disc of copper between the 5,113MW, being managed by 1,393,000
poles of magnets [2]. population till the year 2012. As at 2012, the
means of power generation were from gas-
Electricity was also generated from a water fall in
steam, coal, nuclear, gas and renewable sources
Niagara River located at the border of Ontario,
such as wind, solar, biomass, etc. 23% power
Canada, and New York in the United States,
was generated from gas-steam, 29% from coal,
under the leadership of Jacob Schoellkopf in the
14% from nuclear, 22% from gas, and the
year 1881. He built the first hydro-electric power
remaining 12% was from other renewable energy
generating station there.
sources. The total power produced was
In the year 1878, Joseph Swan and Thomas 7,478MW, which is being used by over 1,715,000
Edison independently invented the carbon population up to date [3].
filament which produced light from electricity-
incandescent lamp. In 1879, Thomas Edison 4. MEANS OF GENERATING POWER
founded the Edison Electric Light Station. Electricity production in Nigeria over the last 40
years has varied from gas-fired, oil fired,
Also, in the year 1882, Carl de Laval invented the hydroelectric power stations to coal-fired stations
steam turbine that drove electric generators more with hydroelectric power systems and gas fired
efficiently than the earlier reciprocating steam systems taking precedence. There are various
engines. Charles Parsons, in 1884, constructed means through which power can be generated;
the first practical steam turbine electric generator some, out of all will be discussed. They include
which can be driven by fuel-burning power plants coal, water, nuclear, natural gas, solar, wind,
in the electric power industry. geothermal and biomass. The renewable means
of power generation include water, solar, wind,
Furthermore, in 1895, Niagara Falls which was biomass and geothermal. However, their
the world’s first large-scale central generating environmental impacts will also be made mention
station transmits power 20miles away to Buffalo of.
and it employed 2-phase Alternating Current
(AC) technique of Nikola Tesla. 4.1 Coal
Albert Einstein, in 1905, published his “theory of
Coal is a black rock formed from prehistoric plant
relativity” and the equation E=MC2, which is the
remains, composed largely of carbon and burned
foundation of nuclear power.
as fuel.
In the year 1907, a new material called
“Tungsten” was used to replace carbon strips of Coal is being used for power generation by first
bamboo, as filament in the incandescent lamp. pulverizing it i.e., crushing it into fragments or
powdery form, and then combusting it in a
By 1970s, about 1,701MW (megawatts) power furnace with a boiler. The furnace heat converts
was being generated and population of over the boiler water into steam which is then used to
567,000 people were involved in the power spin turbines which turn generators and then
usage. 100% of the power was generated from create electricity, see Fig. 2. The thermodynamic
Gas until the year 1980 when the technology was efficiency of this process has been improved
advanced to the use of Gas and Coal. 75% of the over time. Some older coal-fired power stations
total population of people were using gas-steam, have thermal efficiencies of about 25% [4], but
while 25% used power generated from coal. the newest “super-critical” and “ultra-
Then, the total capacity generated was supercritical” steam cycle turbines, operating at
3,452MW, being used by a total population of temperatures over 600ºC and pressure over
681,000 people. By the year 1990, the means of 27MPa (over 3900 psi) can achieve thermal
power generation were gas, coal and nuclear. efficiencies of over 45% (LHV basis) using
53% of the generated power was from gas, 31% anthracite fuel or around 43% (LHV basis), even
from coal and 16% from nuclear. The total power when using lower-grade lignite fuel [5].

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Fig. 2. Coal power generation plant

Furthermore, thermal efficiency improvements warming caused by green house gases.

are also achievable by improved pre-drying SO2 combines with water to form
(especially relevant with high-moisture fuel such sulphurous acid, which acidifies rain.
as lignite or biomass) and cooling technologies. Therefore, release of sulphur dioxide
At least 40% of the world’s electricity is contributes to the widespread acidification
generated from coal. The major problem related of the ecosystems [7].
to the use of coal is air pollution. Coal is  Combustion of coal produces a family of
composed majorly of carbon, therefore, in the nitrogen oxide, NOx. NO competes with
process of burning; gases such as Carbon oxygen in the human system by binding
dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen oxides (NOx), and with haemoglobin in the blood. NO2 is a
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) are being emitted into the major component of photochemical smog.
environment.
4.1.2 Possible solutions
4.1.1 Effects on the environment
 To minimize the harmful effects caused by
The effects of use of coal for power generation the emissions from coal, the use of refined
are as follows: coal is advisable. Refined coal is the
product of a coal-upgrading technology
 Coal-fired power plant causes nearly that removes moisture and certain
24,000 premature deaths annually in the pollutants from lower-rank coals such as
United States, including 2,800 from lung sub-bituminous and lignite (brown) coals. It
cancer [6]. is a form of several pre-combustion
 Coal-fired power plants without effective treatment processes for coal, which alters
fly-ash capture systems are one of the coal’s characteristics before it is burned.
largest source of human-caused  Lowering the combustion temperature of
background radiation exposure the furnace in electric power plant is a
 Approximately 75Tg/s per year of sulphur viable control strategy for nitrogen oxides
dioxide (SO2) is released from burning (NOx).
coal. After release, the sulphur dioxide is  To control the harmful effects of sulphur
oxidized into H2SO2 which scatters solar dioxide, it is best advised to use alternative
radiation; hence, its increase in the sources for power generation, i.e.,
atmosphere exerts a cooling effect on the discouraging fossil fuel based power
climate. It contributes to some of the plants.

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 Another promising method of controlling air the generator, a hydraulic turbine converts the
pollution is the Polish solution based on energy of flowing water into mechanical energy.
electron beam application [8]. The hydroelectric generator then converts the
mechanical energy into electricity. Power lines
4.2 Water are connected to the generator that carries
electricity to the various destinations, See Fig. 3.
Hydro-electric power is obtained from running
water which is used to turn the propeller-like The operation of the generator is based on the
piece called turbine, which is used to turn a metal principles discovered by Faraday. He discovered
shaft in an electric generator. This metal shaft is that when a magnet is moved past a conductor, it
the motor that produce electricity. Some power causes the flow of electricity. In large generators,
plants are located on rivers, streams, and canals, electromagnets are made by circulating direct
but for a reliable water supply, dams are needed. current through loops of wire wound around
stacks of magnetic steel laminations. These are
In a hydro-electric power plant, the dam is used called field poles and are mounted on the
to store up lots of water behind it in the reservoir. perimeter of the rotor. The rotor is attached to the
Near the bottom of the dam wall the water intake turbine shaft and rotates at a fixed speed. When
gravity causes water to fall through the penstock the rotor turns, it causes the field poles
inside the dam. There is a turbine propeller at the (electromagnets) to move past the conductor
end of the penstock, which is turned by the mounted in the stator. This, in turn, causes
moving water. The water continues past the electricity to flow and it causes a voltage to
propeller through the tail race into the river past develop at the generator output terminals [9].
the dam. The shaft from the turbine goes up into Hydroelectric power have low failure rate, low
the generator, which in turn, produces power. For operating cost, and is reliable.

Fig. 3. Hydroelectric power plant

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no.JSRR.20

4.2.1 Effects of hydroelectric power erected further up or down the river to

generation on the environment prevent ill-feeling [13].
 Endangered species should be relocated.
relo
 Reservoir creation creates the release of
green house gases such as methane, CO2, 4.3 Nuclear
etc. The release is as a result of microbial
decomposition when upland forests and It deals with the generation of power from the
peat land are flooded in the course of rapid release of atomic energy from Uranium
above
reservoir creation. The above-water decay when an atom is split by a neutron. In a nuclear
of standing trees causes pollution by fission chain reaction, a Uranium-235
Uranium atom
contributing to the emission of CO2 and absorbs a neutron and splits into two new fission
methane [10].
 Hydroelectric power plant can cause the
ragments, releasing three new neutrons and a
fragments,
large amount of binding energy. An atom of
reduction of soil fertility and big reservoirs 238 absorbs one of these neutrons and
Uranium-238
can cause earthquakes as the weight of does not continue the reaction, while another
water pressing on the rock weakens the neutron leaves the system unabsorbed. The
earth crust. This is known as reservoir-
reservoir single neutron left collides with an atom of
induced seismicity [11] Uranium-235,
235, which in turn splits and releases
 Reservoir of the hydroelectric power two neutrons and more energy. The two neutrons
causes reduced spawning success of 235 atoms, each of the
then collide with Uranium-235
fishes and it reduces animal population uranium atoms splits and releases few neutrons,
[12]. which can then continue the reaction. This
nuclear chainin reaction occurs when a single
4.2.2 Possible solutions nuclear reaction leads to one or more
subsequent reactions, thereby leading to a self-
self
 Fish passages should be created to aid the propagating series of reactions. The energy
migration of fishes [13]. released during a nuclear chain reaction is
 New dam sites should be chosen with the several million times greater than that released
environmental impacts in mind. Dams during any chemical reaction, see Fig.
Fig 4.
should not be erected near residential
areas or near the town, but it should be Storing and monitoring the radioactive waste
materials demands a very high cost.

Fig. 4. Nuclear power generation plant [14]

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4.3.1 Effects on the environment proven fish protection technologies,

depending on the species in the habitat,
 Nuclear powered ship and submarines kind of water body, geographic location of
pose a danger to marine life and the the plant, etc [17]. Such fish protection
environment. Old vessels can leak technologies include:
radiation if they are not properly
maintained or if they are dismantled  Physical barriers which prevent fishes from
carelessly at the end of their working lives. entering the intake structure,
 People living near nuclear power stations  Collection systems (e.g. baskets) that
or waste storage deport are prone to gather the fishes and transport them to a
nuclear accidents and radioactive leaks. recovery pond where canals help them to
Serious accidents have been recorded return to their habitat,
concerning a small number of nuclear  Diversion systems which direct fish away
power stations. The accident at Chernobyl from the intake structures, etc.
(Ukraine) in 1986, led to the death of 30
people with over 100,000 people being 4.4 Natural Gas
evacuated. In the later years, another
200,000 people were resettled away from Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed when layers of
the radioactive area.
 Radiation was even detected over a
buried plants and animals are exposed to intense
heat and pressure over millions of years. The
thousand miles away in the United energy that the plants and animals originally
Kingdom as a result of Chernobyl accident. obtained from the sun is stored in the form of
It was discovered that over time, 2,500 carbon in natural gas. Natural gas is combusted
people died as a result of the accident [15].
 Nuclear power plants use large quantities
to generate electricity, enabling the stored
energy to be transformed into usable power.
of water for steam production and for Natural gas is a non-renewable source of power
cooling. Some nuclear power plants generation because it cannot be replenished on
remove large quantities of water from a a human time frame.
lake or river, which could affect fish and
other aquatic life [16].
 Waste generated from uranium mining
The process of power generation from natural
gas begins with the extraction of natural gas,
operations and rainwater runoff followed by its treatment and transport to the
contaminate ground water and surface power plants and it ends with its combustion in
water resources with heavy metals and boilers and turbines to generate electricity.
races of radioactive uranium [16].
The process is explained as follows:
4.3.2 Possible solutions
Initially, wells are drilled into the ground to
The possible solutions to minimizing the risk of
remove the natural gas. After the extraction, the
nuclear power generation include:
natural gas is treated at the gas plants to remove
 Dramatically improving efficient energy use the impurities such as hydrogen, sulphide,
and green house gas emissions intensity helium, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and
by updating technology and functionality moisture. Pipelines then transport the natural gas
through its entire life cycle. from the gas plant to the power plants.
 Eliminating all radioactive wastes at the
end of its life and minimizing the Power plants use several methods to convert gas
environmental impact during the nuclear into electricity. One of the methods is to burn the
fuel cycle. gas in a boiler to produce steam which is used to
 Improving nuclear security to reduce
drive the steam turbine to produce electricity.
Another method is to burn the gas in a
nuclear power risk and making sure that
combustion turbine to generate electricity [19],
the nuclear industry can operate without
see Fig. 5.
large public nuclear accident insurance
subsidies [15].
 To minimize the effect of this method of
4.4.1 Effects on the environment
power generation on aquatic life, power
The burning of natural gas has series of effects
plant operators should install and maintain
on the environment, they are as follows:

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 Air emissions: at the power plant the home for plants and animals. Other effects
burning of natural gas produces nitrogen include erosion, loss of soil productivity
oxides and carbon dioxides, though in and landslides.
lower quantities than that of coal or oil.  Hydraulic fracturing is linked to low-
Also, sulphur dioxide and mercury magnitude seismic activity usually
compounds are emitted in negligible undetectable at the surface. However,
amounts. injection of fracking waste water at high
 Methane is a primary component of natural pressure into deep Class II injection wells
gas and a green house gas. This can also has been linked to larger earthquakes in
be emitted as the result of incomplete the United States (injection-induced
combustion of natural gas. It can also be seismicity) [20].
emitted as a result of leaks and losses
during transportation. 4.4.2 Possible solutions
 Natural gas-fired boilers and combined
cycle systems require water for cooling The following solutions are suggested to the
purposes. When power plants remove above listed problems:
water from water bodies, fishes and other
aquatic life can be killed, thereby affecting  Mandating the strongest well siting, design,
animals and people who depend on these construction and operation standards and
aquatic resources [19]. best drilling practice.
 The extraction of natural gas and  Public disclosure of information regarding
construction of natural gas power plants chemicals being used in fracking process
can destroy the natural habitat, which is should be fully mandated [21].

Fig. 5. Natural gas power plant [18]

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4.5 Solar  Manufacture of solar cells primarily from

silica (from sand) imposes a negative
Due to technological improvements, solar energy impact on the environment because the
has experienced phenomenal growth in recent requires the
extraction of silicon from silica re
years. This results in reduction in the cost of use of fossil fuels, which contributes to air
energy production and utilization. Solar energy pollution through the production of carbon
represents our largest source of renewable dioxide.
energy supply. Power is generated from the sun
by the use of photovoltaic cells, which convert 4.5.2 Possible solutions
the radiation from the sun into Direct Current
(DC) power. The DC power can then be  Proper care should be taken when dealing
converted into Alternating Current (AC) power with the exotic fluids used in concentrated
and it is then fed into the grid, see Fig. 6. solar systems, so as to avoid its s
spillage.
Although the cost of production of solar  The new manufacturing process employed
photovoltaic power is high, it is a clean source of in the manufacture of solar cells from silica
power supply and can be a very good alternative have eliminated CO2 production, therefore,
to fossil fuels. the new manufacturing method should be
employed.
Also, we have a concentrated solar power. This
technology makes use of various types of mirrors 4.6 Wind
to concentrate sunlight energy and produce heat.
This heat is used to generate electricity in a The wind flow, when trapped by the wind turbine,
standard Rankine cycle turbine. Like most can be used to produce mechanical power. Wind
thermoelectric methods of power generation, this turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind
consumes water. The major problem that arises into mechanical power. The wind turbine, like the
from this method is the fact that solar power aircraft propeller blades, turns in the moving air
plants are commonly located in the desert and power an electric generator which, in turn,
environment due to the need for sunlight and supplies electric current. Wind turbine uses wind
large expanse of land. Many concentrated solar to make electricity. The wind turns the blades,
systems also use exotic fluids to absorb and which spins a shaft that connects to a generator
collect heat while remaining at a low pressure. and produces electricity, see Fig. 7. Wind energy
luid could be dangerous if spilled [22]. Solar
This fluid can serve as an alternativetive to fossil fuels. Wind
power is a renewable source of power generation energy is clean, environmental friendly, and
and provides a clean source of energy cheaper compared to other sources of renewable
generation, as the new manufacturing process energy. It protects the earth from atmospheric
does not contribute to environmental pollution. contamination. It was also found that wind
energy has minimal impacts on the habitat
4.5.1 Effects on the environment comparedred to other sources of energy. It doesn’t

 The exotic fluids used by concentrated

produce green house gas emissions during
operation and it uses little expanse of land.
solar systems could be dangerous if spilled
[22].

Fig. 6. Solar power plant

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Fig. 7. Diagram of a grid-tied wind electric system

(Source: Phantom Electron Corp)

Arrays of large turbines have become an  Most migrating birds that are less versatile
increasingly important source of renewable in flight or have poor sight and might not
energy and they are used in many countries as a be able to alter their flight paths
strategy to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. accordingly. This can lead to the collision
of the birds with the turbine [26].
Wind turbines are manufactured in a wide range
of horizontal axis and vertical axis types. The 4.6.2 Possible solutions

 Wind turbines should be sited at a far

smallest turbines are used for applications such
as battery charging for auxiliary power. Slightly
large turbines are used for making small distance from residential areas and
contributions to domestic power supply. Although property lines in order to minimize noise
wind turbines have contributed positively to the pollution and to enhance the safety of the
people living in the neighbourhood [27].
 The location and operation of the turbine
environment, it also has few negative impacts,
which are discussed below.
should be modified so as to avoid or
4.6.1 Effects on the environment minimize its impacts on threatened species
and their habitats [28].
 People who live very close to wind turbines  Before building wind turbines, engineers
are prone to negative health effects due to should be conversant with the types of
the noise pollution caused by the turbines noise a wind turbine produce so as to
[23]. know the prevention method to apply. The
 The siting and location of the turbine types of noise produced by a wind turbine
affects wildlife and their habitats. It has are divided into two; mechanical and
aerodynamic noise.
 Mechanical noise, which is produced by
been discovered that wildlife (e.g.
migrating birds) is killed on collision with
the wind turbines [24]. the moving components such as gear box,
 Aesthetic aspect of wind turbine and electrical generator, and bearings as a
resulting changes of the visual landscape result of wear and tear, poor component
are significant [25]. designs or lack of preventative
maintenance. It can be minimized at the
design stage by using side-toothed gear

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wheels, and it can be reduced during 4.7.2 Possible solutions

operation by using anti-vibration support
footings and acoustic insulation curtains The following solutions are suggested:

 Stations experiencing high levels of acids

[27].
 Aerodynamic noise is developed by the
and volatile chemicals should be equipped
flow of air over and past the blades of a
with emission-control system to reduce the
turbine. This type of noise increases with
exhaust. The gases can also be injected
increase in the speed of the rotor.
back into the earth as a form of carbon
Aerodynamic noise can be reduced by
capture and storage.
 Scrubbers can reduce air emissions if used
careful design of the blades by the
manufacturers who can minimize this type
and the sludge produced from it must be
of noise [29].
 Wind farms should not be sited along
disposed of at hazardous waste sites [34].
known important migration paths for the 4.8 Biomass
birds. Also, wind turbines should be larger
and further distance apart, offering flight This refers to vegetation used as fuel or source
corridors [26]. of energy. They are used to generate electricity
by providing direct heat and can be converted
4.7 Geothermal into biofuel as a direct substitute for fossil fuel,
see Fig. 9. It is derived from wood waste, landfill
It involves the drilling of wells; perhaps a mile or gas, crop and alcohol fuels. Traditional biomass,
two in depth in search of rock temperatures in including waste woods, charcoal and manure has
the range of 300 to 700̊ F. The heat energy is been a source of energy for domestic cooking
converted into electricity at a geothermal power and heating throughout human history.
plant. Water is pumped down this well where it is
4.8.1 Effects on the environment
reheated by hot rocks. It travels through natural
fissures and rise up a second well as steam,  75% of existing biomass plants requires
which can be used to spin a turbine and generate cooling using wet-recirculating technology
electricity [30], see Fig. 8. while 25% of the plants use once-through
cooling technology. For both methods,
4.7.1 Effects on the environment when cooling water is returned to its

 In open loop system, geothermal power

source from where it was taken, it is much
warmer than when it was taken from the
plant produces hydrogen sulphide (which source and this often has negative impacts
has a distinctive “rotten egg” smell), carbon on plant and animal life [36].
dioxide, ammonia, methane and boron.  Burning of biomass to produce electricity
When hydrogen sulphide changes to can affect the air quality. Pollutants emitted
sulphur dioxide (SO2), it contributes to the during combustion of biomass include NOx,
formation of small acidic particulates that SO2, CO, and particulate matter. NOx
can be absorbed by the blood stream and emission causes smog which causes the
causes heart and lung disease [31]. SO2 burning of lung tissue and makes people
also causes acid rain, which damages the more susceptible to chronic respiratory
vegetation and acidifies the lakes and diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, etc.
streams.
 Water mixed with the steam from
SO2 and NOx also lead to acid rain.

geothermal power plants contains 4.8.2 Possible solutions

dissolved salts that can damage pipes and
harm aquatic ecosystems. Some  As an alternative to wet-recirculating and
subsurface water associated with the once-through cooling technologies,
geothermal sources contain high dry-cooling systems could be employed, as
concentrations of toxic elements such as it does not withdraw or consume any water
boron, lead and arsenic [32]. [36].
 Other effects include the drying out of hot  Net zero global warming emissions can be
springs, soil erosion, noise pollution and achieved if forest managers harvest in
chemical pollution of the atmosphere, sustainable manner and replant with fast-
surface and ground waters [33]. growing tree species [37].

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Fig. 8. Geothermal power plant

Fig. 9. Biomass combined heat and power station [35]

5. CONCLUSION upon for power generation; therefore, other

sources like the natural gas, coal, oil, etc are also
From the research carried out, it has been clearly being utilized for effective power generation.
noticed that the renewable sources of energy are
the safest sources of generating electricity. This Industrialization thrives well in a country with
is due to the fact that they are much more stable electric power supply; therefore, a major
environment friendly than other sources of power key that can boost Nigeria’s development is
generation. Although safe, it is not solely relied stable Electric power supply. But unfortunately,

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the electricity supply in Nigeria is characterized  The sources of fuel for electricity
by frequent power failures and load shedding, generating stations should be diversified
thereby making the lack of stable electric power i.e., instead of relying solely on oil, gas and
supply one of the biggest problems faced by hydro potentials, we should also make use
Nigerians. According to Emovon et al., the total of coal, uranium, biomass, wind, solar, etc.
grid capacity was 8,876 MW but only 3,653 MW [41].
was available as at December 2009. This
however shows that the available power is less The Nigerian educational sector contributes to
than 41% of the total installed capacity [38]. the effectiveness of the Nigerian power sector,
as the technical and vocational education
Unhealthy electric power supply affects specializes in
numerous sectors which cannot do without
electricity in the country such as the  Providing students with skills, knowledge,
telecommunication, water supply sector, health and attitudes needed to prepare them for
sector, etc. Problems encountered during power employment in occupation/career for
generation include; inadequate funding, poor national development [42].
maintenance plan, lack of adequate manpower,  Helping young people to develop
poor inventory management, poor location, etc. occupation competencies for industrial
therefore, to boost the economy of this country, work [42].
adequate attention needs to be given to the  Building and training skilled manpower
power generation sector. needed in the power sector.

In Nigeria, electrical power losses in transmission Furthermore, the reforms in the power sector,
and distribution is due to very long and over- power roadmap, and privatisation in the power
aged transmission and distribution lines, unequal sector promised radical changes in the power
phase loads, inadequate reactive compensation sector and electricity delivery to the citizens and
and energy theft. However, control measures it indeed signalled significant policy inputs [43].
proffered to these problems of power losses
include undertaking regular energy audit, There are however, some laws which relate
introducing more substations, implementing pre- primarily to the protection of the whole/part of the
paid metering systems, using conductors of physical components of the environment. These
appropriate sizes and re-aligning the lines [39]. are called the environmental laws/legislation.
Some of these laws are stated in the acts below:
Furthermore, some power policies have been
recommended. They include: fully accounting for Nuclear Safety and Radiation protection Act CAP
energy generated and distributed, enforcement N142, LFN 2004.
of strategic marketing of power, deterring energy
theft and meter tampering [39].  Section 4 provides the authority to make
regulations for the protection of the
Finally, to ensure a bright future for the Nigerian environment from harmful effects of
power sector and a sustainable power ionizing radiation [44].
generation, the following measures are  Section 40 emphasizes that the same
suggested: regulations guiding the transportation of


dangerous goods by air, land or water
Encouraging foreign participation in the should also apply to the transportation of
power sector, based on experience, radioactive substances [44].
financial capacity and performance record
[40]. Petroleum Act, CAP P10, LFN 2004.
 Set up an effective environmental agency
for carbon emission control.  Section 17(1)(b) places restriction on
 The loading of transmission and licences from using land within fifty (50)
distribution transformers should be yards of any building, dam, reservoir,
reduced. That is, number of consumers per public road [45].
transformer should be trimmed down to  Sections 23 and 27 prohibit the cutting
about 10 consumers per distribution down of trees in forest reserves without
transformer [41]. lawful permission [45].

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Moreover, companies operating within the should be put to consideration before

energy production schemes help in the provision deciding whether to use them or not.
of infrastructures in the communities e.g., clinics,  In the planning and implementation of all
and provision of portable water in order to aspects of the power sector reform
prevent the intake of polluted water, which is program in Nigeria, the Nigerian engineers
harmful to the human health [45]. They also should be adequately represented.
power programs like the “Health Scheme”  Structured maintenance and adequate
funding of the power sector should be
These acts are measures to protect the ensured.
environment from pollution and make it friendly to
the inhabitants. COMPETING INTERESTS
6. RECOMMENDATIONS Authors have declared that no competing
interests exist.
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