Historic drivers of onshore wind power siting and inevitable future trade-offs

Abstract The required acceleration of onshore wind deployment requires the consideration both economic and social criteria. With a spatially explicit analysis validated European turbine stock, we show that historical siting focused on cost-effectiveness turbines minimization local disamenities, resulting in substantial regional inequalities. A multi-criteria allocation approach demonstrates 180 different scenarios strong trade-offs have to be made future expansion by 2050. sites additional can associated with up 43% lower costs average, 42% higher equality, or 93% less affected population than at existing locations. Depending capacity generation target, repowering decisions spatial scale for siting, mean increase least 18% if is minimized — even more so equality maximized. Meaningful regulations compensate regions neglecting one criteria are urgently needed.