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Regional economic and environmental impacts of wind power developments: A case study of a German region

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  • Jenniches, Simon
  • Worrell, Ernst
  • Fumagalli, Elena

Abstract

Wind power is an important technology in the transition towards a low carbon economy. This paper covers the regional impacts of wind power developments in a small German region. Wind power developments with a cumulative capacity of 63.1 MW which have been installed in 2017 in the Aachen region, generating 3901 GWh electricity from 2017 to 2037 lead to a regional value added of €50.8 million (or €805/kW). The avoided greenhouse gas emissions are 132,770 tCO2-equivalents in 2017 and the total economic impacts of value added, avoided greenhouse gases and air pollution ranging from €20.9 to €24.6 million (€332–389 per kW or €107–126 per MWh electricity generated) in 2017. From an environmental economic view, the generation of wind power is the most beneficial electricity generation technology in comparison to PV and lignite.

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  • Jenniches, Simon & Worrell, Ernst & Fumagalli, Elena, 2019. "Regional economic and environmental impacts of wind power developments: A case study of a German region," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 499-514.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:132:y:2019:i:c:p:499-514
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.05.046
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    3. Thomas Hoppe & Michiel Miedema, 2020. "A Governance Approach to Regional Energy Transition: Meaning, Conceptualization and Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-28, January.
    4. Liu, Y. & Li, Y.P. & Huang, G.H. & Lv, J. & Zhai, X.B. & Li, Y.F. & Zhou, B.Y., 2023. "Development of an integrated model on the basis of GCMs-RF-FA for predicting wind energy resources under climate change impact: A case study of Jing-Jin-Ji region in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(P2).
    5. Pratiwi, Astu Sam & Trutnevyte, Evelina, 2022. "Decision paths to reduce costs and increase economic impact of geothermal district heating in Geneva, Switzerland," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    6. Kiunke, Theresa & Gemignani, Natalia & Malheiro, Pedro & Brudermann, Thomas, 2022. "Key factors influencing onshore wind energy development: A case study from the German North Sea region," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Christian Lutz & Lisa Becker & Andreas Kemmler, 2021. "Socioeconomic Effects of Ambitious Climate Mitigation Policies in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.

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