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How much wind power potential does europe have? Examining european wind power potential with an enhanced socio-technical atlas

Author

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  • Enevoldsen, Peter
  • Permien, Finn-Hendrik
  • Bakhtaoui, Ines
  • Krauland, Anna-Katharina von
  • Jacobson, Mark Z.
  • Xydis, George
  • Sovacool, Benjamin K.
  • Valentine, Scott V.
  • Luecht, Daniel
  • Oxley, Gregory

Abstract

The continuous development of onshore wind farms is an important feature of the European transition towards an energy system powered by distributed renewables and low-carbon resources. This study assesses and simulates potential for future onshore wind turbine installations throughout Europe. The study depicts, via maps, all the national and regional socio-technical restrictions and regulations for wind project development using spatial analysis conducted through GIS. The inputs for the analyses were based on an original dataset compiled from satellites and public databases relating to electricity, planning, and other dimensions. Taking into consideration socio-technical constraints, which restricts 54% of the combined land area in Europe, the study reveals a nameplate capacity of 52.5 TW of untapped onshore wind power potential in Europe - equivalent to 1 MW per 16 European citizens – a supply that would be sufficient to cover the global all-sector energy demand from now through to 2050. The study offers a more rigorous, multi-dimensional, and granular atlas of onshore wind energy development that can assist with future energy policy, research, and planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Enevoldsen, Peter & Permien, Finn-Hendrik & Bakhtaoui, Ines & Krauland, Anna-Katharina von & Jacobson, Mark Z. & Xydis, George & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Valentine, Scott V. & Luecht, Daniel & Oxley, G, 2019. "How much wind power potential does europe have? Examining european wind power potential with an enhanced socio-technical atlas," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 1092-1100.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:132:y:2019:i:c:p:1092-1100
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.06.064
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Shirizadeh, Behrang & Quirion, Philippe, 2021. "Low-carbon options for the French power sector: What role for renewables, nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    3. Enevoldsen, Peter & Permien, Finn-Hendrik & Bakhtaoui, Ines & von Krauland, Anna-Katharina & Jacobson, Mark Z. & Xydis, George & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Valentine, Scott V. & Luecht, Daniel & Oxley, G, 2021. "On the socio-technical potential for onshore wind in Europe: A response to critics," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    4. McKenna, Russell & Pfenninger, Stefan & Heinrichs, Heidi & Schmidt, Johannes & Staffell, Iain & Bauer, Christian & Gruber, Katharina & Hahmann, Andrea N. & Jansen, Malte & Klingler, Michael & Landwehr, 2022. "High-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy assessments: A review of potential definitions, methodologies and future research needs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 659-684.
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    9. Dupré la Tour, Marie-Alix, 2023. "Photovoltaic and wind energy potential in Europe – A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    10. Al-Qahtani, Amjad & González-Garay, Andrés & Bernardi, Andrea & Galán-Martín, Ángel & Pozo, Carlos & Dowell, Niall Mac & Chachuat, Benoit & Guillén-Gosálbez, Gonzalo, 2020. "Electricity grid decarbonisation or green methanol fuel? A life-cycle modelling and analysis of today′s transportation-power nexus," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    11. Adam Zagubień & Katarzyna Wolniewicz, 2022. "Energy Efficiency of Small Wind Turbines in an Urbanized Area—Case Studies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-15, July.
    12. Tosatto, Andrea & Beseler, Xavier Martínez & Østergaard, Jacob & Pinson, Pierre & Chatzivasileiadis, Spyros, 2022. "North Sea Energy Islands: Impact on national markets and grids," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    13. Lopez, Anthony & Mai, Trieu & Lantz, Eric & Harrison-Atlas, Dylan & Williams, Travis & Maclaurin, Galen, 2021. "Land use and turbine technology influences on wind potential in the United States," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    14. McKenna, R. & Mulalic, I. & Soutar, I. & Weinand, J.M. & Price, J. & Petrović, S. & Mainzer, K., 2022. "Exploring trade-offs between landscape impact, land use and resource quality for onshore variable renewable energy: an application to Great Britain," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    15. Russell McKenna & Stefan Pfenninger & Heidi Heinrichs & Johannes Schmidt & Iain Staffell & Katharina Gruber & Andrea N. Hahmann & Malte Jansen & Michael Klingler & Natascha Landwehr & Xiaoli Guo Lars', 2021. "Reviewing methods and assumptions for high-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy potential assessments," Papers 2103.09781, arXiv.org.
    16. Merethe Dotterud Leiren & Stine Aakre & Kristin Linnerud & Tom Erik Julsrud & Maria-Rosaria Di Nucci & Michael Krug, 2020. "Community Acceptance of Wind Energy Developments: Experience from Wind Energy Scarce Regions in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, February.
    17. Hoen, Ben & Darlow, Ryan & Haac, Ryan & Rand, Joseph & Kaliski, Ken, 2023. "Effects of land-based wind turbine upsizing on community sound levels and power and energy density," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    18. Jannik Schütz Roungkvist & Peter Enevoldsen, 2020. "Timescale classification in wind forecasting: A review of the state‐of‐the‐art," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(5), pages 757-768, August.
    19. Adam Juma Abdallah Gudo & Jinsong Deng & Marye Belete & Ghali Abdullahi Abubakar, 2020. "Estimation of Small Onshore Wind Power Development for Poverty Reduction in Jubek State, South Sudan, Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, February.
    20. Cotterman, Turner & Small, Mitchell J. & Wilson, Stephen & Abdulla, Ahmed & Wong-Parodi, Gabrielle, 2021. "Applying risk tolerance and socio-technical dynamics for more realistic energy transition pathways," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    21. Xiaohang Ren & Cheng Cheng & Zhen Wang & Cheng Yan, 2021. "Spillover and dynamic effects of energy transition and economic growth on carbon dioxide emissions for the European Union: A dynamic spatial panel model," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 228-242, January.
    22. Mirosława Witkowska-Dabrowska & Natalia Świdyńska & Agnieszka Napiórkowska-Baryła, 2021. "Attitudes of Communities in Rural Areas towards the Development of Wind Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-24, December.
    23. Katarzyna Wolniewicz & Adam Zagubień & Mirosław Wesołowski, 2021. "Energy and Acoustic Environmental Effective Approach for a Wind Farm Location," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, November.
    24. Sudip Basack & Shantanu Dutta & Dipasri Saha, 2022. "Installation and Performance Study of a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Prototype Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-29, December.

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