The effect of concentrated solar power plants on the socio-economic and livelihood assets of the local community and environment

Abstract

The implementation of Concentrated Solar Power plant (CSP) could lead, as with any new project involving the introduction of large infrastructure, to some negative impacts that may affect the socio-economic and livelihood assets of its surrounding population and environment. In order to assess the global effects of the plant, both positive and negative, we developed in this work an all-encompassing framework that could be used to evaluate the potential effect of a CSP plant on its surroundings. The developed framework is based on a five-parameter scale that will help in the identification of the impacts’ properties, as well as their importance for the local population. These parameters include the impact nature, impact significance, impact duration and the impact scale which are evaluated during the different project phases: construction, operation and maintenance and dismantling.