Project

WIND

Project info

Title
WIND - Windfarms and Sustainable Development Goals: optimal approach for fragmentation and land use change
Year
2020 - 2021
Coordinator
BCL-Biodiversity Conservation Lab
Collaborators
-

*Project funded under contract with the NCESD (National Centre for the Environment and Sustainable Development) – current N.E.C.C.A.

Project team

Dr. Vassiliki Kati. Coordinator 

Dr. Christina Kassara, biologist 

Lydia Tampouratzi, rural & surveying Engineer

Dimitris Gotsis, product & system design Engineer

Dr. Olga Tzortzakaki, biologist

Dr. Dimitris Vassilakis, forester 

Dr. Sylvia Zakkak, biologist

Maria Petridou, agronomist, PhD student (BCL/UOI) 

Lavrentis Sidiropoulos, environmentalist, PhD student (BCL/UOI)

Maria Psaralexi, biologist, PhD student (AUTH) 

Nikos Βukas, biologist (MSc) (BCL/UOI)

Tonia Galani, biologist, MSc student (BCL/UOI)

 

External collaborators

Dr. Zoi Vrontisi, engineer

Dr. Aris Moustakas, engineer

Goal

The convergence of climate and biodiversity policies, in the field of windfarm development

Research questions

Actions

1.

Spatial data analysis

2.

Sustainable spatial planning & SDGs

3.

Land take and windfarms

4.

RES & SDGs

5.

Result dissemination

Results

Databases

No Description

Publications

Wind energy is the leading renewable technology towards achieving climate goals, yet biodiversity trade-offs via land take are emerging. Thus, we are facing the paradox of impacting on biodiversity to combat climate change. We suggest a novel method of spatial planning that enhances windfarm sustainability: investments are prioritized in the most fragmented zones that lie outside the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. We showcase it in Greece, a biodiversity hotspot with a strong climate policy and land conflict between conservation and wind energy schemes. The analysis indicates that the suggested investment zone supports wind harnessing 1.5 times higher than the 2030 national goal, having only marginally lower (4%) wind speed. It performs well for the conservation of the annexed habitats and species of the two Nature Directives and it greatly overlaps with the Important Bird Areas (93%) and the roadless areas (80%) of Greece. It also greatly overlaps (82%–91%) with the exclusion zones suggested according to three sensitivity maps for bird conservation. Since land use change triggers biodiversity decline, we underline the necessity of such approaches for meeting both climate and biodiversity goals and call for a greater environmental policy convergence towards biodiversity conservation and no net land take.
Wind harnessing is a fast-developing and cost-effective Renewable Energy Source, but the land impacts of wind power stations are often overlooked or underestimated. We digitized land take, i.e., the generation of artificial land, derived from 90 wind power stations in Greece constructed between 2002 and 2020 (1.2 GW). We found substantial land take impacts of 7729 m2/MW (3.5 m2/MWh) of new artificial land, 148 m/MW of new roads and 174 m/MW of widened roads on average. Models showed that the number and size of wind turbines, the absence of other existing infrastructures and the elevational difference across new access roads increased artificial land generation. The elevational difference across new and widened access roads also increased their length. New wind power stations in Greece are planned to be installed at higher elevations and in terrains facing higher risks for soil erosion and soil biodiversity. The general tendency in the European Union is to sit fewer wind power stations in mountainous and forested land. Still, this pattern is inversed in several countries, particularly in Southern Europe. After screening 28 policy and legal documents, we found that land take is indirectly inferred in the global policy but more directly in the European policy through five non-legally binding documents and three Directives. However, the current European energy policies seem to conflict with nature conservation policies, risking land take acceleration. The study provides insights for reducing land take when planning and constructing wind power stations. We underline the need for better quantification of land take and its integration in the complex process of sustainable spatial planning of investments.

Policy Brief

No Description

Open lectures

No Description
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Conferences

Poster

No Description

Media

This section lists articles of the international or national/ local press referring to the scientific findings of our research. The articles are indicative and are quoted without necessarily reflecting the opinion of BCL. The media coverage of our research is an indicator of the impact of our research on society.

Hans von der Brelie. EURONEWS CHANNEL: Why are plans to build more wind farms in Greece so controversial? 12/4/2024

Eurydice Bersi. Reporters United. Too much of a good thing? Wind power and the battle for Greece’s wild heart. 7/10/2021

Eurydice Bersi. NZZ. Ein Kampf um Windmühlen in Griechenland – der Naturschutz ist im Gegenwind. 21/3/2021.

TNH Staff. The National Herald. Greece Goaded to Keep Wind Farms Away from Environmental Areas. 24/3/2020

Giorgos Lialios. E-kathimerini. Experts urge Greek gov’t to rewind turbine plans. 23/03/2020

Κώστας Αγορής: Πρωϊνός Λόγος. «Αστερίσκοι» για τη χωροθέτηση αιολικών πάρκων στη χώρα μας! 13/1/2024

Γιώργος Λιάλιος. Καθημερινή. Πόση γη «χάνεται» στα αιολικά. 5/1/2024 

Μάριος Διονέλλης. Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών. Αντιπεριβαλλοντικά τα αιολικά με τη βούλα της επιστήμης. 31/1/2021

Γιώργος Λιάλιος. Καθημερινή. «Ντιμπέιτ» για αιολικά και Natura. 23/3/2020  

Βαρβάρα Αγγέλη. Typos i. Επτά φοιτητές επιχειρηματολογούν για τα αιολικά πάρκα. 17/5/2020

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