How GIS transforms wind, solar and biomass energy development

The study systematically examines the role of GIS across major renewable energy technologies. For wind energy, GIS coupled with multi-criteria decision analysis is used to generate suitability maps by integrating factors such as topography, wind speed, environmental protection zones, and infrastructure proximity. It also supports routing, cable planning, and assessments of visual and noise impacts, all of which are essential to regulatory approval and community acceptance.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are emerging as indispensable instruments in the global transition to renewable energy and sustainable environmental management, according to a new scientific review. The study explores how GIS integrates technology, governance, and spatial analysis to guide energy investments, strengthen environmental governance, and align infrastructure with sustainability goals.

The research, titled “The Role of Geographic Information Systems in Environmental Management and the Development of Renewable Energy Sources—A Review Approach” and published in Energies, highlights GIS as both a management platform and a technical tool. It details its role in planning, monitoring, and decision-making across renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, biomass, hydro, and geothermal. The authors also assess legal frameworks, technological advances, and stakeholder engagement challenges, providing a comprehensive roadmap for policymakers and practitioners.

How does GIS enhance environmental and energy decision-making?

The review places GIS within the broader context of environmental governance, emphasizing its ability to support fundamental management functions such as planning, monitoring, control, coordination, and communication. By integrating spatial data into decision-making, GIS transforms complex environmental variables into accessible formats for stakeholders, bridging technical expertise and community participation.

One of the key findings is that GIS does not operate in isolation but increasingly interacts with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, remote sensing, building information modeling, and big data analytics. This integration allows for dynamic monitoring, predictive modeling, and adaptive management strategies that improve the accuracy of environmental assessments and energy planning.

The authors argue that GIS’s capacity to visualize spatial trade-offs is crucial in reducing conflicts between competing land uses. For renewable energy development, GIS-based assessments provide a common language for engineers, regulators, and local communities, supporting more transparent and inclusive decision-making processes. This helps mitigate disputes over site selection, resource allocation, and environmental impact.

How is GIS applied across renewable energy sources?

The study systematically examines the role of GIS across major renewable energy technologies. For wind energy, GIS coupled with multi-criteria decision analysis is used to generate suitability maps by integrating factors such as topography, wind speed, environmental protection zones, and infrastructure proximity. It also supports routing, cable planning, and assessments of visual and noise impacts, all of which are essential to regulatory approval and community acceptance.

In solar energy development, GIS enables precise modeling of radiation levels, shading patterns, and microclimatic conditions. When linked with techno-economic simulations, it allows planners to assess payback periods, profitability, and environmental impacts of photovoltaic or solar thermal projects.

Biogas projects benefit from GIS’s ability to map feedstock availability, logistics, and transportation routes while identifying zones of potential conflict with residential or environmental areas. The study notes the increasing use of multi-criteria tools such as Analytical Hierarchy Process and Best Worst Method for site selection.

Hydropower and geothermal energy also depend on GIS-based workflows. For hydropower, spatial hydrological modeling informs dam siting and small hydro potential, while geothermal planning relies on geological and geophysical datasets to assess feasibility. Across all renewable sources, the authors emphasize the importance of using GIS for potential assessment, feasibility evaluation, and long-term operational planning.

A comparative analysis in the review shows how each energy type faces unique challenges. Wind projects grapple with visual and acoustic impacts, solar projects hinge on precise microclimate data, and biomass requires complex supply logistics. By providing tailored spatial insights, GIS ensures that renewable energy projects are technically viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally sound.

What frameworks and gaps shape the future of GIS in energy planning?

The study devotes significant attention to legal and governance frameworks that shape geospatial data management. International standards such as those developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium and ISO, along with initiatives like the UN’s Integrated Geospatial Information Framework, establish guidelines for interoperability and data sharing.

In the European Union, directives such as INSPIRE and the Open Data Directive ensure standardized access to geospatial datasets, while GDPR and the NIS2 Directive regulate privacy and cybersecurity. In the United States, the Geospatial Data Act and the OPEN Government Data Act provide the legislative foundation for open and interoperable geospatial information. The authors argue that these frameworks are critical to ensuring transparent, reliable, and secure use of GIS in environmental and energy applications.

Despite its widespread adoption, the study identifies research and practice gaps that require attention. Stakeholder theory, for example, has yet to be systematically integrated into GIS-based planning. The authors recommend studies that examine how geospatial visualizations influence public debates, shape stakeholder arguments, and affect return on investment or risk mitigation. Ongoing controversies over wind turbine setback distances in Poland are cited as an example of where GIS-driven participatory tools could reduce conflict and support evidence-based policymaking.

Another research priority is the development of GIS-enabled early-warning systems and adaptive climate risk management strategies. Comparative analyses of how different legal regimes affect renewable energy planning are also highlighted as areas needing urgent attention. By filling these gaps, GIS can move beyond technical optimization to become a transformative tool for participatory, adaptive, and resilient energy governance.