Prime locations for harnessing solar and wind energy.
Reiner Lemoine Institute Releases Comprehensive Data Package for Solar and Wind Energy Expansion in Germany
The Reiner Lemoine Institute (RLI), an independent, non-profit research institute dedicated to contributing to the energy transition, has published a substantial data package detailing potential areas in Germany for the expansion of solar and wind energy. This data, now freely available under an open license on the storage service Zenodo, aims to assist planning offices, project developers, and other researchers in their efforts to implement the two-percent target of the planned wind-on-land law of the German federal government.
The data evaluation is based on numerous geodata, with the researchers using only publicly available geodata for their analysis. It includes potential areas for wind power plants, sorted by settlement distances: 400, 600, 800, and 1000 meters, as well as information about free areas along highways and railway lines for the construction of photovoltaic plants.
Moreover, the data package includes information about forests and protected landscapes, ensuring that the expansion of PV and wind power plants is conducted mindfully and responsibly. Mascha Richter, head of the research area "Transformation of Energy Systems" at RLI, emphasises that the expansion of PV and wind power plants is not unlimited in Germany, and that the data can help find suitable areas.
This data package, available as high-resolution vector data covering the whole of Germany, is valuable to a wide range of professionals. Energy industry professionals, grid operators, political decision-makers, future energy managers, and specialized organisations involved in renewable energy and grid analysis are among those who may benefit from this data to build new wind and solar power plants in suitable areas in Germany.
The RLI's ultimate goal is a future in which 100% of energy comes from renewable sources. By making this data freely available, the RLI is taking a significant step towards realising this vision. The data package, which includes a documentation of the methodology used, is now available for everyone to utilise and contribute to the energy transition in Germany.
