Wind Power Development in Economical Forest in Lower Saxony, Germany - Mapping Challenges and Opportunities using a Constellation Analysis

Sammanfattning: Forests provide ecosystem services, whereby near-natural forests offer mainly cultural as well as regulating services, and economical forests offer mainly provisional services. Even though wind resources above forests show a strong wind shear and veer as well as high turbulence intensity, the development of tall and low-wind-speed-adapted turbines led to the feasibility of wind power development in economical forests, adding a new land use. Nonetheless, wind power in economical forests is still a new concept for Germany. So far, only eight of the 16 federal states enable this by forest law and spatial planning programs driven by land-use pressure and the goal of climate neutrality. Lower Saxony is currently amending its spatial planning program to open economical forests for wind power. The thesis aims to improve the understanding of the actors’ perspectives and federal-state-specific circumstances in Lower Saxony regarding this policy shift supported by a constellation analysis. A constellation analysis helps to perceive multiple perspectives by creating a diagram and textually describing the situation to identify, present, and elaborate relevant constellation elements and their relation to each other. The constellation analysis highlights that the development should add a local value to impacted municipalities and communities by following the principles of distributive and procedural justice. This facilitates local acceptance. However, environmental and landscape impacts are the main driver for local opposition in a forest context. Thus, the development shall strive for nature compatibility.