The latest analysis from McKinsey & Company (McKinsey) has found that land availability is a major constraint in expanding renewable energy capacity in Europe.
If the EU is to achieve these targets, McKinsey stresses that identifying and safeguarding sufficient land will be essential in the report Land: A crucial resource for the energy transition.
The acreage needed to meet additional RES capacity by 2040 in France, Germany, and Italy alone impacts an area equivalent of up to the size of Belgium (23,000 square kilometres to 35,000 square kilometres), according to the report.
Estimates show that more than 90% of the targeted additional capacity will need to be supplied by wind and solar – both of which require large tracts of usable land.
McKinsey highlights that in addition to the technical suitability of the acreage, a significant percentage of land is precluded from development in Europe because of strict regulations and environmental limitations.
For example, only 9% of available acreage in Germany is suitable for wind and less than 1% of the land in Italy is suitable without limitations for solar PV.
Regulatory constraints vary widely across Europe but also within countries which can create inter-region tension, the report found.
McKinsey’s analysis found that in Germany, technical, regulatory, and environmental constraints reduce potentially available land for wind by 82%.
The largest reduction (almost 60%) is driven by regulatory rules around the distance to settlements and infrastructure for onshore wind.
Partner at McKinsey Raffael Winter said: “The role that land availability plays in the energy transition cannot be underestimated but we must also consider that land availability is crucial to other societal and environmental objectives, such as agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
“This creates increased competition for what are all extremely important issues.
“It’s vital for businesses and regulators across Europe to act hand in hand to ensure that RES development is land-efficient and biodiversity-enhancing by harnessing deployment strategies that can ensure sustainability and promote a comprehensive approach.”