Using renewable (solar) energy as a sustainable management pathway of lands highly sensitive to degradation in Romania. A countrywide analysis based on exploring the geographical and technical solar potentials

Abstract

Solar power is a major pillar of renewable energy, but there is a complicated dilemma on harvesting solar energy across extensive lands without affecting their agricultural potential. This dilemma could be addressed by developing solar energy systems in areas highly prone to land degradation, which are less feasible for agricultural crops and consequently preferred locations for solar electricity generation. In this context, the present study aims to investigate, for the first time, the feasibility of solar energy harvesting in lands that are highly sensitive to degradation in Romania, starting from the hypothesis that these lands with poor agro-ecological productivity can be a sustainable pathway for large-scale development of photovoltaic power. In line with this goal, complex and high-resolution data on solar energy and land degradation sensitivity were used, which were processed for modelling the key geographical and technical potentials of solar power. By investigating the solar electricity resources of lands critically exposed to degradation and feasible (without environmental constraints) for solar energy development, it was found that Romania holds a vast photovoltaic power potential, by far theoretically capable of meeting all the country's electrical needs. Quantitatively, the total solar energy potential that can be harvested annually from the critical landscapes reaches 1978 TWh, which is over thirty/forty times more than the annual mean electricity production (∼63 TWh)/consumption (∼47 TWh), recorded nationally in the past decade, from all renewable and non-renewable sources. This entire solar potential stretches across ∼30000 km2 (13% of the country) of lands with high degradative conditions, but which are geographically and ecologically suitable for solar applications. These findings can be useful for strengthening the country's energy security, for a sustainable management of national lands highly exposed to degradation, and for a more efficient implementation of several Sustainable Development Goals in Romania.