Future prospects for renewable energy

Description

The production of renewable energy (wind power, hydropower, solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass) is a landscape service of growing importance and great political relevance. However, the expansion of renewable energies is causing various conflicts with competing landscape services. The potential for such conflicts across Switzerland was systematically studied in a previous project.

Various socio-economic and political factors are changing how land is used. How land use in Switzerland might change was modelled in five different scenarios in a previous project. Land-use changes are creating opportunities, but also fresh risks, for the production of renewable energy.

Research questions

1. What impact will the consideration of various land-use scenarios have on the potential for producing solar energy and wind power?
2. How can improvements can be made by taking account of future technologies, and how big will they be?
3. How important in economic terms can renewable energies be for selected regions?

Procedure

1. Interview experts and carry out Internet research on the future development of renewable energy sources
2. Model conflict potential to take account of land-use scenarios
3. Calculate the potential of solar energy and wind power for Switzerland, bearing in mind various land-use scenarios
4. Drawing on existing studies, calculate the potential economic importance of renewable energies in selected regions.