Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs
Abstract Visual landscape impacts on scenic and populated places are among significant factors affecting local acceptance of large-scale renewable energy projects. Through the combination of large-scale reverse viewshed and techno-economic energy system analyses, we assess their potential impacts fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59029-1 |
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| author | Tsamara Tsani Tristan Pelser Romanos Ioannidis Rachel Maier Ruihong Chen Stanley Risch Felix Kullmann Russell McKenna Detlef Stolten Jann Michael Weinand |
| author_facet | Tsamara Tsani Tristan Pelser Romanos Ioannidis Rachel Maier Ruihong Chen Stanley Risch Felix Kullmann Russell McKenna Detlef Stolten Jann Michael Weinand |
| author_sort | Tsamara Tsani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Visual landscape impacts on scenic and populated places are among significant factors affecting local acceptance of large-scale renewable energy projects. Through the combination of large-scale reverse viewshed and techno-economic energy system analyses, we assess their potential impacts for nationwide energy systems. In our case study of Germany, moderate consideration of visual impact by placing renewables out of sight of the most scenic and densely populated areas does not have a significant impact on future energy system costs and design. In contrast, in scenarios assuming high sensitivity to visual impacts, annual energy system costs would increase by up to 38% in 2045. The energy system’s resilience would also be compromised due to the increasing reliance on green hydrogen imports and the uncertain mass adoption of rooftop photovoltaics. Our analytical framework facilitates careful planning that considers the visual impact of renewable energy infrastructure, thus enabling socially acceptable deployment while understanding the implications for system costs and transformation pathways. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a00fa66dd600491b9789e9d724dc4985 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-a00fa66dd600491b9789e9d724dc49852025-08-20T02:37:33ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-59029-1Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costsTsamara Tsani0Tristan Pelser1Romanos Ioannidis2Rachel Maier3Ruihong Chen4Stanley Risch5Felix Kullmann6Russell McKenna7Detlef Stolten8Jann Michael Weinand9Institute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHDepartment of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of AthensInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHChair of Energy Systems Analysis, ETH ZürichInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHChair of Energy Systems Analysis, ETH ZürichInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHInstitute of Climate and Energy Systems - Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHAbstract Visual landscape impacts on scenic and populated places are among significant factors affecting local acceptance of large-scale renewable energy projects. Through the combination of large-scale reverse viewshed and techno-economic energy system analyses, we assess their potential impacts for nationwide energy systems. In our case study of Germany, moderate consideration of visual impact by placing renewables out of sight of the most scenic and densely populated areas does not have a significant impact on future energy system costs and design. In contrast, in scenarios assuming high sensitivity to visual impacts, annual energy system costs would increase by up to 38% in 2045. The energy system’s resilience would also be compromised due to the increasing reliance on green hydrogen imports and the uncertain mass adoption of rooftop photovoltaics. Our analytical framework facilitates careful planning that considers the visual impact of renewable energy infrastructure, thus enabling socially acceptable deployment while understanding the implications for system costs and transformation pathways.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59029-1 |
| spellingShingle | Tsamara Tsani Tristan Pelser Romanos Ioannidis Rachel Maier Ruihong Chen Stanley Risch Felix Kullmann Russell McKenna Detlef Stolten Jann Michael Weinand Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs Nature Communications |
| title | Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| title_full | Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| title_short | Quantifying the trade-offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| title_sort | quantifying the trade offs between renewable energy visibility and system costs |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59029-1 |
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