Renewables expansion bound to consume large part of Germany’s land area – study

If Germany wants to remain true to its pledge to generate most of its energy from renewable sources by 2050, the additional land area used for windfarms and solar PV installations will be significant, Dirk Asendorpf writes in the weekly newspaper Die Zeit. According to a study conducted by science academies Acatech, Leopoldina, and others, nearly 5,000 square kilometres will be used for solar and about 7,000 square kilometres more for wind power generation if the electrification of the heating and transport sectors, powered by renewable sources, is carried out as envisaged, Asendorpf says. “That’s much more than all the area covered by water in Germany combined”, he says, adding that “in 30 years’ time, we’ll barely recognise our country anymore”. The study’s authors say that changes to the landscape could be so drastic that “problems in acceptance” could lead to the failure of the planned expansion.

Find the study in German here.

See the CLEW factsheet Fighting windmills: when growth hits resistance for background.