Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas
Abstract
Decisions humans make about how much land to use, where, and for what end use, can inform innovation and policies directing sustainable pathways of land use for energy. Using the state of California (United States) as a model system, our study shows that the majority of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) installations are sited in natural environments, namely shrublands and scrublands, and agricultural land cover types, and near (<10 km) protected areas. "Compatible" (≤15%) USSE installations are sited in developed areas, whereas "Incompatible" installations (19%) are classified as such owing to, predominantly, lengthier distances to existing transmission. Our results suggest a dynamic landscape where land for energy, food, and conservation goals overlap and where environmental cobenefit opportunities should be explored.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- November 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1517656112
- Bibcode:
- 2015PNAS..11213579H