Health Benefits from Renewable Electricity Sources: A Review

Abstract

Energy generation has had several negative health impacts over the last few decades, mainly due to air pollution. One of the ways to decrease such impacts is to increase energy generation through renewable energy sources (RESs). These sources have important health co-benefits that need to be taken into consideration. This topic has been included in the literature, but research is scattered. The goal of this article is to show the status of the literature on this topic. We performed a systematic literature review on the health co-benefits of RES use, depicting the state of the art of this literature, some common findings, limitations, and lines for future research. It is clear from our analysis that this literature remains scarce. We found 28 studies fitting the inclusion criteria. Results can be summed as follows: (1) wind and solar power are the most studied RES sources; (2) most studies are for the United States and developing countries are largely understudied; and (3) health benefit results vary widely according to site-specific conditions. Overall, the existing studies show significant health co-benefits from RES use, which are important to consider when performing cost–benefit analysis for energy projects. This is particularly relevant for policy-makers and energy investors.

The intersection of renewable energy and environmental health: Advancements in sustainable solutions

“…In contrast, renewable energy sources produce minimal air pollutants during operation, thereby improving air quality and public health outcomes . Studies have consistently demonstrated the health co-benefits of transitioning to renewable energy (Silva et al, 2021;Şenyapar, 2023). A comprehensive analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy could prevent millions of premature deaths annually by reducing air pollution-related illnesses .…”

Sustainable Development Goals and energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean: The quest to reduce social and economic inequalities

“…Ao contrário dos combustíveis fósseis, a energia renovável tem o potencial de contribuir para a melhoria do bem-estar humano e ambiental simultaneamente (WHO, 2021). A poluição do ar urbano e o carbono negro (fuligem) estão associados a doenças cardiovasculares e respiratórias, e a exposição a níveis nocivos de poluentes resultantes da produção e uso de combustíveis fósseis tem sido associada a mortes prematuras e perdas de produtividade (Silva et al 2021). O material particulado e o ozônio ao nível do solo também foram responsáveis por cerca de 7,4 milhões de toneladas em perdas de rendimento de soja, milho, trigo e arroz (Jorquera et al 2019).…”

Local Spatial Plans as Determinants of Household Investment in Renewable Energy: Case Studies from Selected Polish and European Communes

“…In the context of the climate crisis and sustainable development, RES non-emission of harmful substances, their lack of impact on the earth's energy balance, and their wide availability are most often emphasized [14,[92][93][94]. Moreover, the health benefits, energy security and economics of power consumption are often researched and stressed [14,95,96]. On the other hand, the drawbacks of solar energy are, for example, the high cost of installation, seasonality, and problems with storing [14].…”