Which locations are best suited for renewable energies?

Especially for volatile renewable energies, the location is crucial for the economic efficiency of the generating plants. Therefore, with the help of GIS analyses, areas are examined concerning their suitability as locations for renewable energies. In addition to “physical conditions” such as wind strength or solar irradiation, political requirements and nature conservation issues are taken into account. The spatial resolution of the analyses can be varied and even extends in particular cases to the orientation of individual roof surfaces to determine the generation potential for photovoltaic systems. This way, estimations of locations and generation potentials for renewable energies can be made for Europe and worldwide. 

Specifically, we consider the following questions:

• Which areas are potentially suitable for wind energy?
• How do we find out where the regional expansion of renewable energies will occur?
• How high is the generation potential for renewable energies in Europe?
• Is the potential sufficient to meet electricity demand?
• Does every house need solar panels?