Mitigation of land-related impacts of solar deployment in the European Union through land planning policies

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 302; p. 131617
• Main Authors: Ferreras-Alonso, Noelia, Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo, Adam, Alexandros, de Blas, Ignacio, Mediavilla, Margarita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Climate policy; Integrated Assessment model (IAM); Land competition; Solar energy; Sustainability; System dynamics; System dynamics; Land competition; Climate policy; Integrated Assessment model (IAM); Sustainability; Solar energy
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131617

Solar power is space-intensive and will contribute to intensify land competition, a factor typically not captured by models. This study uses the Integrated Assessment Model WILIAM which explicitly represents the land use changes driven by solar energy expansion through a hard link of its energy and land modules including net energy restrictions. A Green Growth type transition is simulated for the European Union with a high renewable energy share target in electricity mix by 2050, testing different land use planning policies. The results show that a rapid deployment of solar power in land without land policies can intensify land use conflicts and increase associated land use change emissions. Land-use requirements for solar would be 1–1.4 % of total land (corresponding to 55–75 % of urban land), which could be problematic locally. The implementation of land-use protection and land siting policies could reduce 23 % of total land occupied bv solar photovoltaics panels (with respect to forest and cropland the area occupied could be reduced up to 88 %), and 23–47 % of the land use change associated emissions with respect to a scenario where not policies are applied. These results show the importance of integrating land use and energy planning policies to alleviate the undesired impacts. •Land use changes and emissions of the expansion of solar energy on land in the EU.•Land required for solar would be 1–1.4 % of total land (equal to 55–75 % of urban land).•Integrated land use and energy planning policies is needed to alleviate impacts.•Cropland and forest area occupied can be reduced up to 88 % with land-use policies.•Land use change emissions associated can be reduced up to 47 % with land-use policies.