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Wind energy expansion scenarios – A spatial sustainability assessment

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  • Eichhorn, Marcus
  • Masurowski, Frank
  • Becker, Raik
  • Thrän, Daniela

Abstract

Wind power plays an integral role in the transition of Germany's energy system. In addition to its positive effects (e.g. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions), wind power can also negatively affect inhabitants and the environment. With this in mind, it is important to identify the best locations for wind turbines (WTs) which take into consideration these different sustainability aspects. This paper proposes a new simplified performance index that compares and combines three key aspects in order to assess the viability of wind expansion. These include environmental impacts (bird collisions), human attitudes (settlement distances) and energy performance (annual electricity production for supply security). The index enables a comparison to be made between the sustainability of different WT spatial distribution scenarios. This index is applied to four wind power expansion scenarios whose aim is to fulfill a certain share of the gross electricity consumption in Germany through standard wind power technologies. Finally, the respective spatial expansion scenarios are compared in terms of their lowest combined impact and their sustainability performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Eichhorn, Marcus & Masurowski, Frank & Becker, Raik & Thrän, Daniela, 2019. "Wind energy expansion scenarios – A spatial sustainability assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 367-375.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:180:y:2019:i:c:p:367-375
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.054
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    5. Jürgen Kopfmüller & Wolfgang Weimer-Jehle & Tobias Naegler & Jens Buchgeister & Klaus-Rainer Bräutigam & Volker Stelzer, 2021. "Integrative Scenario Assessment as a Tool to Support Decisions in Energy Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-34, March.
    6. Jinjin Guan & Harald Zepp, 2020. "Factors Affecting the Community Acceptance of Onshore Wind Farms: A Case Study of the Zhongying Wind Farm in Eastern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Salomon, Hannes & Drechsler, Martin & Reutter, Felix, 2020. "Minimum distances for wind turbines: A robustness analysis of policies for a sustainable wind power deployment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Lehmann, Paul & Reutter, Felix & Tafarte, Philip, 2023. "Optimal siting of onshore wind turbines: Local disamenities matter," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Tafarte, Philip & Lehmann, Paul, 2023. "Quantifying trade-offs for the spatial allocation of onshore wind generation capacity – A case study for Germany," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    10. Tafarte, Philip & Lehmann, Paul, 2021. "Quantifying trade-offs for the spatial allocation of onshore wind generation capacity: A case study for Germany," UFZ Discussion Papers 2/2021, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    11. Esra Ilbahar & Cengiz Kahraman & Selcuk Cebi, 2023. "Evaluation of sustainable energy planning scenarios with a new approach based on FCM, WASPAS and impact effort matrix," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11931-11955, October.
    12. Buchmayr, A. & Verhofstadt, E. & Van Ootegem, L. & Sanjuan Delmás, D. & Thomassen, G. & Dewulf, J., 2021. "The path to sustainable energy supply systems: Proposal of an integrative sustainability assessment framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
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