Comparative analysis of the environmental impacts of renewable electricity generation technologies in Rwanda

Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, falling water, the heat of the earth (geothermal) and of plant materials (biomass). Renewable energy technologies produce power, heat or mechanical energy by converting those resources to electricity. A general overview of renewable energy technologies for electricity generation and their applications are given in this article. The main objective is to compare the environmental impacts associated with the production of electricity from two different renewable energy technologies used in Rwanda. The findings show that hydropower plants have the greatest effect on human health and the ecosystem, while it is observed that solar power plants are much more environmentally sustainable than other renewable energy systems. These results will guide the government and private investors to make decisions by constructing Rwanda's best and most sustainable solar power plants, taking account of the environmental and resource aspects possible. Moreover, renewable energy technologies are making a greater contribution to sustainable national development. © 2021 by Begell House, Inc.