Safeguarding rural landscapes in the new era of energy transition to a low carbon future

Abstract

This paper focuses on threatened future intrusions of energy infrastructure on rural landscapes. In recent years there has been a large outpouring of publications apparently related to “the energy landscape” and “urban energy landscape”. In the author's view this is a misleading use of the word “landscape”. Here the words “rural landscape” refer to rural and countryside, as distinct from town, as they have done in the English language for over 400 years (according to the Oxford English Dictionary).There are many reasons for concern about the future of our rural landscapes due to human initiatives, among which are scarcely constrained developments of onshore wind turbines, ground-mounted solar PV, and “modern” biomass and biofuels. Guidelines and regulations aimed at protection are frequently evaded. Those supposed to apply guidelines and regulations often fail in their duty. Areas supposed to be protected from intrusion by international, national, or local regulations are exploited. A sustainable future requires us to preserve scenic values and protect many rural landscapes. This will require much stricter limits on the location of renewable energy developments in the countryside.