Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation
Autor(a) principal: | |
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Data de Publicação: | 2023 |
Outros Autores: | , , |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | eng |
Título da fonte: | Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
Texto Completo: | http://hdl.handle.net/10451/61718 |
Resumo: | European countries are expanding utility-scale solar farms to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy independence. However, the expansion of these facilities raises concerns about competition for land for other uses, including biodiversity conservation. Thus, quantitative assessment of the friction between renewable energy development and conservation potential is an important step towards the sustainable development of the energy sector in this region. Here, grounded on land sparing/land sharing concepts, we discuss a prioritization framework based on solar potential and human footprint (used as a proxy for wilderness) to identify zones where the development of solar farms may cause a negative impact on biodiversity (sparing areas), and areas where they may have beneficial outcomes (sharing areas). We apply this framework to the Iberian Peninsula, where the land conflict may become particularly significant in the near future, given the high potential for photovoltaic production and expansion of photovoltaic installations, and the vast areas of well-preserved habitats still remaining. We detected around 18,000 km2 of sparing areas, of which half are not in protected areas, and >41,000 km2 of sharing areas. Much of these sharing areas are found near urban areas, which is where energy is most needed for supplying homes, transport, and machinery. Through strategic planning, the implementation of solar farms in land sharing areas has the potential to yield dual benefits, for both local biodiversity and food production, driving economic growth. By doing so, these initiatives can also safeguard important wilderness areas, which play a pivotal role in conserving biodiversity. |
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Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservationEuropean countries are expanding utility-scale solar farms to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy independence. However, the expansion of these facilities raises concerns about competition for land for other uses, including biodiversity conservation. Thus, quantitative assessment of the friction between renewable energy development and conservation potential is an important step towards the sustainable development of the energy sector in this region. Here, grounded on land sparing/land sharing concepts, we discuss a prioritization framework based on solar potential and human footprint (used as a proxy for wilderness) to identify zones where the development of solar farms may cause a negative impact on biodiversity (sparing areas), and areas where they may have beneficial outcomes (sharing areas). We apply this framework to the Iberian Peninsula, where the land conflict may become particularly significant in the near future, given the high potential for photovoltaic production and expansion of photovoltaic installations, and the vast areas of well-preserved habitats still remaining. We detected around 18,000 km2 of sparing areas, of which half are not in protected areas, and >41,000 km2 of sharing areas. Much of these sharing areas are found near urban areas, which is where energy is most needed for supplying homes, transport, and machinery. Through strategic planning, the implementation of solar farms in land sharing areas has the potential to yield dual benefits, for both local biodiversity and food production, driving economic growth. By doing so, these initiatives can also safeguard important wilderness areas, which play a pivotal role in conserving biodiversity.ElsevierRepositório da Universidade de LisboaAscensão, FernandoChozas, SergioSerrano, Helena CristinaBranquinho, Cristina2024-01-10T18:41:45Z2023-112023-11-01T00:00:00Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10451/61718engFernando Ascensão, Sergio Chozas, Helena Serrano, Cristina Branquinho, Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation, Biological Conservation, Volume 287, 2023, 110331, ISSN 0006-3207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110331.10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110331info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2024-01-15T01:18:56Zoai:repositorio.ul.pt:10451/61718Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-20T01:44:36.004763Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
title |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
spellingShingle |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation Ascensão, Fernando |
title_short |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
title_full |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
title_fullStr |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
title_sort |
Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation |
author |
Ascensão, Fernando |
author_facet |
Ascensão, Fernando Chozas, Sergio Serrano, Helena Cristina Branquinho, Cristina |
author_role |
author |
author2 |
Chozas, Sergio Serrano, Helena Cristina Branquinho, Cristina |
author2_role |
author author author |
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv |
Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Ascensão, Fernando Chozas, Sergio Serrano, Helena Cristina Branquinho, Cristina |
description |
European countries are expanding utility-scale solar farms to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy independence. However, the expansion of these facilities raises concerns about competition for land for other uses, including biodiversity conservation. Thus, quantitative assessment of the friction between renewable energy development and conservation potential is an important step towards the sustainable development of the energy sector in this region. Here, grounded on land sparing/land sharing concepts, we discuss a prioritization framework based on solar potential and human footprint (used as a proxy for wilderness) to identify zones where the development of solar farms may cause a negative impact on biodiversity (sparing areas), and areas where they may have beneficial outcomes (sharing areas). We apply this framework to the Iberian Peninsula, where the land conflict may become particularly significant in the near future, given the high potential for photovoltaic production and expansion of photovoltaic installations, and the vast areas of well-preserved habitats still remaining. We detected around 18,000 km2 of sparing areas, of which half are not in protected areas, and >41,000 km2 of sharing areas. Much of these sharing areas are found near urban areas, which is where energy is most needed for supplying homes, transport, and machinery. Through strategic planning, the implementation of solar farms in land sharing areas has the potential to yield dual benefits, for both local biodiversity and food production, driving economic growth. By doing so, these initiatives can also safeguard important wilderness areas, which play a pivotal role in conserving biodiversity. |
publishDate |
2023 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2023-11 2023-11-01T00:00:00Z 2024-01-10T18:41:45Z |
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
http://hdl.handle.net/10451/61718 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10451/61718 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
eng |
language |
eng |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
Fernando Ascensão, Sergio Chozas, Helena Serrano, Cristina Branquinho, Mapping potential conflicts between photovoltaic installations and biodiversity conservation, Biological Conservation, Volume 287, 2023, 110331, ISSN 0006-3207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110331. 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110331 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Elsevier |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Elsevier |
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Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação |
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Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
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Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) |
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Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação |
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