The Potential Land-use Impacts from Solar Energy

Researcher: 
Cazcarro Castellano, Ignacio
Congress: 
XIII Congreso de la Asociación Española de Economía Energética
Participation type: 
Comunicación oral
Other authors: 
Dirk-Jan van de Ven; Iñigo Capellan-Perez; Iñaki Arto; Ignacio Cazcarro; Mikel González-Eguino; Carlos de Castro Carranza
Year: 
2018
Location: 
Zaragoza

Renewable energy usually has a lower energy density than fossil energy, and its supply can therefore require significant amounts of land. This study examines the land use impacts of a solar energy transition in the electricity sector of regions where land pressure is expected to play a role: the European Union, India, Japan and South-Korea. Using an Integrated Assessment Model that interlinks energy and the land use sectors, we were able to estimate land-use change emissions from different electricity system transition pathways.