Andrea N. Hahmann | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

The electricity system value of the local acceptance of onshore wind in Europe

The large-scale deployment of wind power is central to Europe`s energy transition but faces challenges due to its social and environmental impacts on communities. Here we assess how the tolerance of local stakeholders to such impacts translates across spatial scales to shape the cost and design of the continent`s net-zero electricity system using a soft-linked modelling framework. We find that lower impact tolerance can reduce the role of onshore wind in Europe reaching net-zero by up to 84% relative to a future where wind enjoys higher acceptance, with other low carbon sources needing to be scaled up to compensate. This translates into total European electricity system costs increasing by between 2-14% while some countries see costs escalating by 20% or more. Our results show that the local acceptance of onshore wind is a key structural driver of the system and highlight the system value of policies to promote it.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2021

Reviewing methods and assumptions for high-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy potential assessments

The rapid uptake of renewable energy technologies in recent decades has increased the demand of energy researchers, policymakers and energy planners for reliable data on the spatial distribution of their costs and potentials. For onshore wind energy this has resulted in an active research field devoted to analysing these resources for regions, countries or globally. A particular thread of this research attempts to go beyond purely technical or spatial restrictions and determine the realistic, feasible or actual potential for wind energy. Motivated by these developments, this paper reviews methods and assumptions for analysing geographical, technical, economic and, finally, feasible onshore wind potentials. We address each of these potentials in turn, including aspects related to land eligibility criteria, energy meteorology, and technical developments relating to wind turbine characteristics such as power density, specific rotor power and spacing aspects. Economic aspects of potential assessments are central to future deployment and are discussed on a turbine and system level covering levelized costs depending on locations, and the system integration costs which are often overlooked in such analyses. Non-technical approaches include scenicness assessments of the landscape, expert and stakeholder workshops, willingness to pay / accept elicitations and socioeconomic cost-benefit studies. For each of these different potential estimations, the state of the art is critically discussed, with an attempt to derive best practice recommendations and highlight avenues for future research.

econ.GN↗