Impact on the perceived landscape quality through renewable energy infrastructure. A discrete choice experiment in the context of the Swiss energy transition

Šalak, Boris; Kienast, Félix; Olschewski, Roland; Spielhofer, Reto; Hayek, Ulrike Wissen; Grêt‐Regamey, Adrienne; Hunziker, Marcel

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2022.04.154

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The second type of externality was used to capture people’s preferences related to landscape developments triggered by REI. It stems from a Swiss-wide representative online panel survey where respondents (n = 1062) performed a visual choice experiment resulting in “choices” and reflecting stated preferences [ 53 ]. The inverse of their preference values was used to express reactance to renewable energies in specific landscape contexts.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sample is representative for Switzerland in terms of language, age, gender, education and designated landscape type. Details about the study sample, the sampling procedure, the questionnaire, and the choice experiment component are described in Salak et al [ 53 , 54 ], and data are publicly available at an online repository [ 55 ]. Therefore, the integration of the stated preference data into the optimization is detailed primarily.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… It shows the Inverted share of preference (IsoP), with standard error (SE), per characteristic landscape type (n = 1, 8) and scenario (S = 1, 15) of the choice simulation expressing external costs related to social preferences of renewable energy infrastructure (REI) [ 53 ]. A higher IsoP value indicates higher costs.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Description of typical Swiss landscapes used in this study. The "Characteristic landscapes" column refers to characteristic landscapes used as attributes in the discrete choice experiment of the national representative online survey [53,54,56]. These characteristic landscapes are upscaled to larger landscape units displayed in the "Name" column (see also Fig 1).…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

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Shifting from techno-economic to socio-ecological priorities: Incorporating landscape preferences and ecosystem services into the siting of renewable energy infrastructure

Salak,

Hunziker,

Grêt-Regamey

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

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This study examines the siting scenarios for renewable energy installations (REI) in a mountainous region of Europe (Switzerland), incorporating the external costs of ecosystem services and, innovatively, social preferences. This approach challenges the prevalent techno-economic siting paradigm, which often overlooks these externalities. To minimize the external costs of the scenarios while maximizing energy yield, Marxan, an optimization software, was employed. The energy target for all scenarios is set at 25 TWh/a, stemming from the energy gap anticipated due to the phase-out of Swiss nuclear reactors by 2050. This target is met using renewable energy infrastructure such as wind, roof-mounted photovoltaic, and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. By integrating social preferences into the optimization, this study showcases a promising implementation that transcends the software’s intended applications. It complements techno-economic approaches and offers alternative decision-making avenues. The conventional "roof first" strategy proved ineffective in preventing extensive land use for the development of new renewable energy infrastructure. Strategies incorporating ground-mounted photovoltaic infrastructure were more spatially, ecologically, and socially efficient than those without. The strategy optimized for energy yield exhibited the highest spatial efficiency but incurred significant ecosystem service costs and, surprisingly, had low social costs. In contrast, the strategy prioritizing ecosystem services was the most efficient in terms of ecosystem service costs but had elevated social costs and was spatially less efficient than other strategies. The strategy optimized for social preferences incurred the lowest social costs and excelled in spatial efficiency and ecosystem service costs. Notably, this strategy employed a limited number of planning units linked to both high ecosystem service and social costs. The findings underscore that incorporating social preferences significantly enhances the evaluation of siting options. This inclusion allows for the social acceptance of investments to be factored into costs, facilitating more informed and inclusive decisions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Shifting from techno-economic to socio-ecological priorities: Incorporating landscape preferences and ecosystem services into the siting of renewable energy infrastructure

Salak,

Hunziker,

Grêt-Regamey

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, technical solutions require supportive institutions (Pfenninger et al 2014; Xenarios et al 2019). Energy mix optimization is most feasible when based upon technical innovation, citizens' support (Volken et al 2018), acceptance of energy infrastructure in local social contexts and landscapes (Salak et al 2022), regional cooperation, and coordinated economic policies, as indicated below.…”

Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Renewable Electricity Production in Mountain Regions: Toward a People-Centered Energy Transition Agenda

Scott

Khaling

Shrestha

et al. 2023

Mountain Research and Development

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This paper examines progress and limitations in the transition from current dependence on carbon-based energy toward clean, renewable, and socially just energy in the Hindu Kush Himalaya and the Andes. Focusing on electricity production from sustainable hydropower, solar, and wind energy, the assessment does not cover biomass energy, although this is recognized to be an important energy source in these regions. Using meta-analysis methods, a set of 68 peer-reviewed publications was reviewed to systematically address 2 research questions: (1) Which electricity generation options in mountains can address local demands and adaptation needs while supporting broader decarbonization efforts? (2) What technical innovations, policy, and governance mechanisms can aid this transition? Considering governance, finance, individual and collective action, and science and technology dimensions of the transition challenge, recommendations for policymakers, mountain communities, and practitioners are made. These include setting up clear and effective policy measures, programs, and incentives to support energy transition plans and help mountain communities and energy practitioners to fully embrace the transition. Strong political commitment supported by international cooperation for a transition agenda centered on mountain people will enable community participation, stimulate technological innovation, and establish mechanisms to monitor and enforce social and environmental impact remediation.

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Landschaft und Gebirge

Stotten

2024

RaumFragen: Stadt – Region – Landschaft

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Impact on the perceived landscape quality through renewable energy infrastructure. A discrete choice experiment in the context of the Swiss energy transition

Cited by 16 publications

References 39 publications

Shifting from techno-economic to socio-ecological priorities: Incorporating landscape preferences and ecosystem services into the siting of renewable energy infrastructure

Shifting from techno-economic to socio-ecological priorities: Incorporating landscape preferences and ecosystem services into the siting of renewable energy infrastructure

Renewable Electricity Production in Mountain Regions: Toward a People-Centered Energy Transition Agenda

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