Resources 2016, 5(3), 24; doi:10.3390/resources5030024
Environmental Siting Framework for Wind Farms: A Case Study in the Dodecanese Islands
1
Interdisciplinary Programme of Postgraduate Studies, Environment and Development, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, Zografou 15780, Greece
2
Soft Energy Applications & Environmental Protection Lab, Piraeus University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box, 41046, Athens 12201, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Simon J. Watson
Received: 29 March 2016 / Revised: 19 May 2016 / Accepted: 24 June 2016 / Published: 2 July 2016
Abstract
The increasing rate of energy consumption, the depletion of conventional energy sources and the environmental degradation caused has led to thorough research on Renewable Energy Sources (RES), which have been seen as a sustainable solution to climatic change. However, RES installation has a considerable environmental impact, which should be taken into consideration. The present study deals with the development of an integrated framework so as to evaluate land environmental suitability for RES installation, especially for Wind Farm (WF) siting. The proposed methodology consists of the Analytical Hierarchy Process, the Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing tools. In the first part, a set of constraints, which are based on Greek legislation and international research, identifies the potential sites for wind park installation. In the second part, a variety of criteria are employed to evaluate the area under consideration. To exemplify the utility of the methodology, an application of the proposed framework to the Dodecanese Islands is further illustrated. One of the first findings is that, despite the implemented restrictions, 1/4 of the land remains suitable for WF siting. The necessity of the method used is confirmed through the comparison of results with the already installed wind parks. View Full-TextKeywords:
renewable energy; wind power; siting; islands; Dodecanese
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Panagiotidou, M.; Xydis, G.; Koroneos, C. Environmental Siting Framework for Wind Farms: A Case Study in the Dodecanese Islands. Resources 2016, 5, 24.
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