Land for Renewables: Briefing on spatial requirements for a sustainable energy transition in Europe
Land is a crucial resource for Europe’s energy transition, but the extent and type of land needed for renewable energy expansion have sparked heated debates across the bloc. This report aims to clarify these questions by making the spatial needs to achieve a 100% renewable-powered Europe tangible and comparing them to current land uses and available areas.
Only 2.2% of the EU’s total land will be required by current and future solar and wind projects to achieve climate neutrality by 2040, with most of the suitable land for renewables in the EU is located in rural areas.
Our findings show that there is sufficient land across Europe for the expansion of solar and wind energy sources to be conducted in harmony with the needs of nature, food production, and local communities.
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