RELY – Action TU1401. Renewable energy and landscape quality

In response to climate change, the Fossil fuel shortages and rising energy demand and prices, the use of renewable energy in all Europe. While the goals of boosting renewable energy and developing trans-European energy networks are ambitious, there has been increasing recognition that public acceptance it becomes a Flimiting actor and that general support for green energy does not always translate into local support for specific projects. In many European countries, opposition campaigns have highlighted the Perceived change in the landscape and loss of landscape quality, although renewable energy can promote sustainable development, especially in disadvantaged regions with abundant water resources wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal energy either solar.

This initiative, funded by the European Union (COST – European Cooperation in Science and technology. H2020), investigates the interrelationships between renewable energy production and the landscape quality, as well as the role of public participation in the acceptance of renewable energy systems. The objective of RELY is to gain a better understanding of how landscape protection and management can be reconciled with the implementation of renewable energy, contributing in a socio-environmental way to the sustainable transformation of energy systems. RELY seeks to consolidate and expand existing knowledge from a pan-European perspective using a modular methodological approach. Furthermore, it is expected that RELY strengthen the scientific basis for decision making and develop guidelines for encourage public participation in the planning of renewable energy systems.

We are part of the 140 researchers from 35 countries who have participated in this research project.