THE IMPACT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY USE ON BIODIVERSITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61942/msj.v3i2.368Keywords:
Renewable Energy, Biodiversity, Solar Panels, Wind Turbines, Hydro DamsAbstract
The global shift toward renewable energy is a crucial response to the climate crisis, yet it also brings ecological implications that are often overlooked. This study systematically examines the environmental impact of renewable energy infrastructures particularly solar, wind, hydro, and biomass on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity. A total of ten peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025 were selected based on their relevance, methodological rigor, and ecological focus. The data were analyzed using a narrative-descriptive approach supported by manual thematic coding to identify recurring ecological patterns and mitigation strategies. The results indicate that solar farms contribute to habitat fragmentation and behavioral disturbances among birds and bats; wind turbines are linked to elevated mortality in flying species; and hydroelectric dams disrupt fish migration and reduce aquatic habitat quality. On the other hand, integrative technologies such as aquavoltaic systems and fish-friendly turbines demonstrate potential for minimizing ecological harm while meeting energy needs. This study contributes a synthesized understanding of how renewable energy infrastructures affect biodiversity across ecosystems and technological contexts. It highlights the importance of spatial planning, context-specific impact assessments, and ecosystem-based mitigation strategies. The findings are expected to inform policymakers, environmental planners, and industry stakeholders in designing renewable energy solutions that align with long-term ecological sustainability.
Downloads
References
Alhijazi, A. A. K., Almasri, R. A., & Alloush, A. F. (2023). A Hybrid Renewable Energy (Solar/Wind/Biomass) and Multi-Use System Principles, Types, and Applications: A Review. Sustainability, 15(24), 16803. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416803
Anderson, C. M., Hopkins, A. P., & Anderson, J. T. (2025). Assessing the Impact of Solar Farms on Waterbirds: A Literature Review of Ecological Interactions and Habitat Alterations. Conservation, 5(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5010004
Bhatt, U. S., Carreras, B. A., Barredo, J. M. R., Newman, D. E., Collet, P., & Gomila, D. (2022). The potential impact of climate change on the efficiency and reliability of solar, hydro, and wind energy sources. Land, 11(8), 1275. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081275
Bozeman, B.B., Pracheil, B.M. & Matson, P.G. The environmental impact of hydropower: a systematic review of the ecological effects of sub-daily flow variability on riverine fish. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 35, 45–76 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-024-09909-4
Gøtske, E. K., & Victoria, M. (2021). Future operation of hydropower in Europe under high renewable penetration and climate change. Iscience, 24(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102999
Gunia, A. (29 June 2022). Meet the Siblings Making Hydropower That Actually Protects Rivers and Fish. TIME. Retrieved from https://time.com/6192153/natel-energy-green-hydropower
Imani, M., Fakour, H., Lo, S. L., Yuan, M. H., Chen, C. K., Mobasser, S., & Muangthai, I. (2023). Aquavoltaics feasibility assessment: synergies of solar PV power generation and aquaculture production. Water, 15(5), 987. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15050987
Iranzo, E. C., Nicolau, J. M., Reiné, R., & Tormo, J. (2025). Current Knowledge on Novel Semi-Arid Photovoltaic Ecosystems, Their Impacts on Biodiversity and Implications for the Sustainability of Renewable Energy Production. Land, 14(6), 1188. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061188
Jager, H. I., Efroymson, R. A., & McManamay, R. A. (2021). Renewable energy and biological conservation in a changing world. Biological Conservation, 263, 109354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109354
Jin, Y., Behrens, P., Tukker, A., & Scherer, L. (2022). Biodiversity loss from freshwater use for China’s electricity generation. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(5), 3277-3287. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c07155
Kati, V., Kassara, C., Vrontisi, Z., & Moustakas, A. (2021). The biodiversity-wind energy-land use nexus in a global biodiversity hotspot. Science of The Total Environment, 768, 144471. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144471
Khoeun, R., Sor, R., Chann, K., Phy, S. R., Oeurng, C., & Sok, T. (2024). The impacts of dams on streamflow in tributaries to the Lower Mekong Basin. Sustainability, 16(15), 6700. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156700
Lafitte, A., Sordello, R., Ouédraogo, DY. et al. Existing evidence on the effects of photovoltaic panels on biodiversity: a systematic map with critical appraisal of study validity. Environ Evid 12, 25 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-023-00318-x
Meng, L., Liu, P., Zhou, Y., & Mei, Y. (2025). Blaming the wind? The impact of wind turbine on bird biodiversity. Journal of Development Economics, 172, 103402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103402
Moustakas, A., Georgiakakis, P., Kret, E., & Kapsalis, E. (2023). Wind turbine power and land cover effects on cumulative bat deaths. Science of The Total Environment, 892, 164536. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2305.19010
Stock, P. (20 August 2024). Australia could save thousands of bats a year with simple tweak to wind turbines, study says. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/21/australia-wind-turbines-simple-tweak-save-bat-lives-study
Tinsley, E., Froidevaux, J. S., Zsebők, S., Szabadi, K. L., & Jones, G. (2023). Renewable energies and biodiversity: Impact of ground‐mounted solar photovoltaic sites on bat activity. Journal of Applied Ecology, 60(9), 1752-1762. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14474
Wang, J., Li, C., Deng, Z., Carr, J., Stringer, L. C., Li, K., ... & Wang, Z. (2025). Biodiversity Impacts of Land Occupation for Renewable Energy Infrastructure in a Globally Connected World. Environmental science & technology, 59(19), 9529-9539. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c11453
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Miko Mei Irwanto, Ardi Azhar Nampira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
