Prospects for the Development of Onshore Wind Energy in Light of the Implementation of the European Landscape Convention: The Example of Poland

The development of onshore wind energy is linked to the conditions for landscape protection and development established during the implementation of the European Landscape Convention (ELC). In Poland, the implementation of the ELC results in the designation and protection of priority landscapes, which may restrict the construction of new wind farms. The widespread ratification of the ELC by European countries where wind farms are being developed makes the possibility of limiting wind energy development through ELC implementation an important issue from a research and practical perspective. Experience from Poland can be helpful in optimizing the implementation process without impacting the total installed capacity of wind farms. Using GIS tools and a multi-criteria assessment of the conditions for excluding areas from wind energy development in Poland, the scale of territorial barriers was assessed in the variants without and with priority landscapes. The resources available for wind farms and the reduction in these resources associated with the implementation of the ELC were assessed quantitatively and spatially. The amount of capacity that can be connected and that will be limited by the implementation of the ELC was estimated. The analysis was conducted for the country, its regions, and zones with varying wind conditions predisposing to wind energy development. An approximately 5% reduction in the territorial potential for onshore wind energy development was observed due to the implementation of the ELC. Significant spatial variation was observed, including regional limitations on wind farms associated with the implementation of the ELC. Spatial barriers to development result not only from the presence of high-quality landscapes but also from varying regional policies for their protection and shaping. There is a lack of national coordination of regional policies for the implementation of the ELC, and there is no coordination of this process with other plans and strategies, including energy transformation and security. Despite the identified limitations to wind energy development, no threat to the achievement of strategic wind energy development goals related to connecting new capacity by 2030 and 2040 has been identified. However, in the longer term, as areas available for wind energy development become increasingly scarce, implementing ELC may pose a significant barrier to energy transition. Research indicates that the ELC implementation model in Poland, which emphasizes landscape protection rather than landscape planning and sustainable management, is not beneficial for onshore wind energy. It is necessary to integrate landscape protection policy with energy transition policy, particularly in zones with the most favorable wind (economic) conditions for onshore wind energy development.