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Scenicness assessment of onshore wind sites with geotagged photographs and impacts on approval and cost-efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • R. McKenna

    (Energy Systems Analysis, DTU Management, Technical University of Denmark
    University of Aberdeen)

  • J. M. Weinand

    (Chair of Energy Economics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT))

  • I. Mulalic

    (Department of Economics, Copenhagen Business School
    VU Amsterdam)

  • S. Petrović

    (Energy Systems Analysis, DTU Management, Technical University of Denmark
    Center for Global Cooperation, The Danish Energy Agency)

  • K. Mainzer

    (greenventory GmbH)

  • T. Preis

    (Data Science Lab, Behavioural Science, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
    The Alan Turing Institute)

  • H. S. Moat

    (Data Science Lab, Behavioural Science, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
    The Alan Turing Institute)

Abstract

Cost-efficiency and public acceptance are competing objectives for onshore wind locations. The impact of ‘scenicness’ on these two objectives has been difficult to quantify for wind projects. We analyse the link between economic wind resources and beautiful landscapes with over 1.5 million ‘scenicness’ ratings of around 200,000 geotagged photographs from across Great Britain. We find evidence that planning applications for onshore wind are more likely to be rejected when proposed in more scenic areas. Compared to the technical potential of onshore wind of 1,700 TWh at a total cost of £280 billion, removing the 10% most scenic areas implies about 18% lower generation potential and 8–26% higher costs. We also consider connection distances to the nearest electricity network transformer, showing that the connection costs constitute up to half of the total costs. The results provide a quantitative framework for researchers and policymakers to consider the trade-offs between cost-efficiency and public acceptance for onshore wind.

Suggested Citation

  • R. McKenna & J. M. Weinand & I. Mulalic & S. Petrović & K. Mainzer & T. Preis & H. S. Moat, 2021. "Scenicness assessment of onshore wind sites with geotagged photographs and impacts on approval and cost-efficiency," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(6), pages 663-672, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:6:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1038_s41560-021-00842-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00842-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lehmann, Paul & Reutter, Felix & Tafarte, Philip, 2023. "Optimal siting of onshore wind turbines: Local disamenities matter," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Oliver Ruhnau & Anselm Eicke & Raffaele Sgarlato & Tim Tröndle & Lion Hirth, 2024. "Cost-Potential Curves of Onshore Wind Energy: the Role of Disamenity Costs," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(2), pages 347-368, February.
    3. 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).
    4. 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.
    5. Amaury Chesné & Romanos Ioannidis, 2024. "An Investigation of the Perception of Neoclassical, Eclectic, Modernist, and Postmodern Architecture within Different Urban Landscapes: Athens vs. Paris," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-29, March.
    6. Kristine Grimsrud & Cathrine Hagem & Kristina Haaskjold & Henrik Lindhjem & Megan Nowell, 2024. "Spatial Trade-Offs in National Land-Based Wind Power Production in Times of Biodiversity and Climate Crises," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(2), pages 401-436, February.
    7. Lehmann, Paul & Reutter, Felix & Tafarte, Philip, 2021. "Optimal siting of onshore wind turbines: Local disamenities matter," UFZ Discussion Papers 4/2021, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    8. Cranmer, Alexana & Broughel, Anna Ebers & Ericson, Jonathan & Goldberg, Mike & Dharni, Kira, 2023. "Getting to 30 GW by 2030: Visual preferences of coastal residents for offshore wind farms on the US East Coast," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. 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.
    10. Lehmann, Paul & Tafarte, Philip, 2023. "The opportunity costs of environmental exclusion zones for renewable energy deployment," UFZ Discussion Papers 2/2023, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    11. Jan-Philipp Sasse & Evelina Trutnevyte, 2023. "A low-carbon electricity sector in Europe risks sustaining regional inequalities in benefits and vulnerabilities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

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