Considerable pressure is placed on wind power in Sweden due to the country’s goal of generating 100 % of its electricity from fossil free resources. The aim was to develop the REWIND methodological framework to support wind power planning, built on spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA). In addition, the purpose was to develop a conflict score as a novel component of this framework, for handling goal conflicts. This framework includes the scoping, design and evaluation stages. It was applied in a case study of Västernorrland County with extensive involvement of stakeholders throughout the process. 

The conflict score allows a separate analysis of trade-offs between factors, highlighting potential conflicts across the landscape to increase transparency. Thus, users are allowed to decide on a threshold on how much conflict among factors should be allowed for areas to qualify as planning alternatives. Critical issues that will need further attention concern quality and availability of data, creation of representative spatial indicators for the factors, weighting methods, and uncertainty analysis. The REWIND framework is open-ended and allows for further development to provide planning support that gives more control of factors and conflicts to be acceptable in real-world planning. Capacity building involving stakeholders in the design of planning alternatives are crucial. In Sweden, it can promote a more proactive planning process in the municipalities, supported by the regional actors, leading to a more predictable permitting process for developers. This will be useful for inclusive wind power planning in any country, since it is applicable on different scales.

A transition to a sustainable energy system is urgent due to climate change, on global level and in Sweden. For this transition, wind power plays an important role. According to Swedens national strategy for wind power, the County Administrative Boards were suggested to, in close collaboration with the municipalities, derive expected shares of wind power in order to reach the goal of 100 TWh wind power to year 2040. Simultaneously, wind power can entail social and ecological impacts, among these landscape impacts, noise and flickering shadows, which can affect

residential areas, cultural values and recreation. Also reindeer husbandry can be affected. Ecological impacts can be habitat loss and fragmentation as well as collisions with birds and bats, impacting on biological diversity. Wind power development can also create jobs and thus contribute to local and regional economy. In order to develop useful planning support for wind power planning, the current planning practice and permitting process needs to be investigated concerning which aspects of sustainability that are taken into account, factors that are used, and trade-offs that are made between sustainability goals. In addition, planning support tools need to be developed, that can integrate different sustainability goals and work as a dialogue tool in the planning process. A methodology that can be useful in this context is Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis (SMCA). There are though several challenges associated with using SMCA in real-world planning contexts, where further method development and adaption is needed to increase its applicability. The overall aim of the project “Regional planning support for wind power” (REWIND) was to investigate wind power planning and methods for planning support, to find opportunities for development, where the regional level plays an greater role, providing competence, data, knowledge and coordination. In this way, suggestions can be made on how regional support for wind power planning can be developed to efficiently strengthen municipal planning, acceptance and sustainable regional growth. The project consisted of two interacting parts with a common  final discussion.

The goal for Part 1 in the project was to investigate the current planning practice and legislation through analysis of municipal policy documents and guiding judgements. Thus, we investigated which sustainability aspects and factors that were considered, with a special focus on the spatial dimension. As well, we investigated trade-offs between sustainability goals in planning and court cases. The goal for Part 2 in the project was to develop a methodological   framework for SMCA, as planning support for terrestrial wind power on regional and municipal level in Sweden. The project used a selection of existing methods from SMCA that were adapted and combined with new methods. These were integrated as parts of the REWIND tool, for increased applicability in the planning process. The method development concerned a) a GIS-based tool for more flexible creation and aggregation of the spatial indicators for the factors, b) a new method for weighing of factors, and c) a new method for conflict mapping. The REWIND tool was applied in two case studies in the counties Västernorrland and Västra Götaland, where the methods were tested in collaboration with selected actors.

Finally, Part 1 and 2 were integrated in a common discussion, together with a focus group interview with municipal officials. The interview concerned wind power planning and related sustainability perspectives as well as the possibilities of SMCA to strengthen regional and municipal planning and collaboration. The methodology included both qualitative and quantitative methods, in the form of literature reviews, interviews, focus group discussions, as well as case studies with application and method development of SMCA in dialogue with stakeholders. Scientific literature was reviewed targeting planning of wind power, its preconditions and effects on different sustainability targets, as well as methods and applications of SMCA in planning contexts. Swedish wind power plans and judgements were analysed, to understand which factors were involved and how they were treated, trade-offs between sustainability goals, and problems and opportunities for sustainable wind power planning. From the results, together with interviews for understanding significance and treatment of selected factors, such as the electricity grid, the REWIND framework was developed. It consists of a selection of existing SMCA methods together with new methods developed within the project; for deriving spatial indicators, weighing and conflict mapping. Method development and application was carried out with the help of the case studies in Västernorrland and Västra Götaland counties, including involvement of stakeholders through focus group discussions.

About two-thirds of the Swedish municipalities have  carried out some form of wind power planning, even if these to varying degrees have become outdated. We found that the main themes that are balanced against wind power in wind power plans and judgements are noise, landscapes, cultural environment, outdoor recreation, nature conservation, reindeer husbandry, and defence. Themes that appear to be especially difficult to handle are those that concern reindeer husbandry and defence, but also possibilities to connect to the electricity grid. There is a great variation within wind power planning concerning how the spatial analysis is organised, themes that are included and how they are treated, as well as trade-offs between wind power and other sustainability aspects. The analysis of judgements indicate that the comprehensive plan is often considered in the assessment of permit applications. Thus, more updated and well informed municipal plans would be a help as decision support also in the permitting process. Concerning SMCA, there are several challenges related to its integration in realworld planning contexts. Challenges that emerged through the focus group discussions were, among other, knowledge and data gaps, difficulties in identifying factors and their spatial indicators on different scales, standardisation of spatial indicators, weighing of factors and aggregation of their spatial indicators that to some extent can hide conflicts, and control of the weighing.

The REWIND framework consists of three steps, 1) scoping, 2) design of planning alternatives, and 3) evaluation. The GIS-based REWIND tool was developed to enable creation and change of spatial indicators for the factors. A relatively simple but systematic weighing method was developed, the Ranking-Rating (RR) method, which allows a transparent integration of the stakeholders input with the target to get weights that represent their view on the factors’ importance. In addition, the understanding of the meaning of the weights can increase through comparisons with the planning tree, which gives an instant overview of different dimensions of sustainability. A method for conflict mapping was also developed, in order to enable elimination of areas with high conflict between factors. These new methods were integrated in the REWIND framework.

The general overview of wind power planning that emerged in the study is, that  it can be difficult to handle the complex technical-economic, social and environmental challenges in municipal planning and decision making. Simultaneously, there is a need for a more continuous and proactive wind power planning. Possibilities to strengthen this could be financial support and through regional collaboration processes together with the municipalities, in order to strengthen their capacity for wind power planning. This could include a collaboration platform where municipal

initiatives and planning processes can interact with counties and regions, for knowledge building and exchange of experience. SMCA can be part of such a platform, as a useful tool for integration and trade-off of relevant knowledge and interests, in a systematic and transparent way. This could increase the possibilities to interact with the planning processes for the electricity grid, as well as facilitate knowledge and capacity building including dialogue with key actors of the defence interests, reindeer husbandry, and other. Such a collaboration platform could also strengthen the inter-municipal cooperation as well as the handling of areas of national interest and trade-offs between these. This can contribute to development of a more coordinated and sustainable wind power planning, with potential to, in the long run, form part of a more cohesive landscape planning and sustainable development of the energy system in Sweden.

Increasing emissions of greenhouse gases and subsequent impacts on environment and societypronounces the need for transition into renewable energy globally. Sweden aims to achieve 100 %renewable electricity by year 2040 with a major share expected to come from wind power. In this context, the national strategy developed for wind power development estimated expected shares from each County and directed the County Administrative Boards (CAB) to work in close collaboration with themunicipalities to achieve these goals. On the other hand, unsustainable wind farm siting may lead toecological and societal impacts such as noise and visual impacts, collision risk for birds and bats, etc. With these increased expectations on wind power from each county without compromising the sustainabilitytraits, the motivation to integrate Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis (SMCA) as a planning support tool ishigh.

There are however some concerns in applying SMCA planning support tools in real-world planningcontexts. This thesis aims to support regional and municipal wind power planning by developing the REWIND methodological framework based on SMCA, with integration of GIS-based tools as well as a novel conflict score to better handle goal conflicts (Paper 1). In addition, this thesis also addresses areas of the SMCA methods that need more attention to be useful in a planning context (Paper 2). In particular, a relatively simple but still systematic weighting method is developed, which enables transparentintegration of stakeholder input to get weights that match their perception of importance and comprehend the implication of it in the form of a planning tree (Paper 2). The methodology of the thesis includes literature review, and SMCA case studies with application of the REWIND methodological framework in Västernorrland and Västra Götaland Counties, including stakeholder involvement through focus group discussions.

This thesis shows that there are several challenges associated with integration of SMCA in real-world planning contexts. For example, challenges that emerged from the focus group discussions lie inidentification of criteria and spatial indicators for different scales of planning, standardisation of spatial indicators, invisible trade-off during aggregation and weighting of these indicators, and control of weighting. For sustainable wind power planning, a systematic and transparent approach and a collaboration platform that enables planners to choose from the decision space with more clearunderstanding about the trade-off in a quantified manner can improve the acceptance of the REWIND framework into planning contexts.

Ökande utsläpp av växthusgaser med medföljande påverkan på miljö och samhällen belyser behovet aven övergång till förnybar energi globalt och i Sverige. Sverige har som mål att till år 2040 uppnå 100 % förnybar el och en större andel förväntas komma från vindkraft. I den nationella strategin som tagits framför vindkraftsutvecklingen föreslogs länsstyrelserna att i nära samarbete med kommunerna ta fram förväntade andelar vindkraft för att uppnå dessa mål. Samtidigt kan en ohållbar lokalisering av vindkraftsparker leda till ekologiska och samhälleliga effekter såsom buller och visuell påverkan, kollisionsrisk för fåglar och fladdermöss, habitatförlust och –fragmentering, etc. Med dessa ökadeförväntningar på vindkraft från varje län är motivationen hög att integrera metoder som rumslig flermålsanalys (Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis, SMCA) som ett planeringsstöd för att integrera de olika hållbarhetsmålen.

Det finns dock vissa farhågor när man använder SMCA-verktyg i verkliga planeringssammanhang. Detta arbete syftar till att stödja den regionala och kommunala vindkraftsplaneringen genom att utveckla det metodologiska ramverket REWIND baserad på SMCA, med integrering av GIS-baserade REWIND-verktyg samt en ny metod för konflikt kartering för att bättre hantera målkonflikter (Artikel 1). Dessutom tar denna avhandling också upp områden inom dagens SMCA-metoder som behöver uppmärksammas mer för att vara användbara i planeringssammanhang (Artikel 2). Den relativt enkla men ändå systematiska viktningsmetoden Ranking-Rating (RR) utvecklades, som möjliggör en transparent integrering av intressenternas inspel för att få vikter som matchar deras uppfattning om faktorernas betydelse och ökar förståelsen av innebörden av viktningen genom ett planeringsträd (Artikel 2). Avhandlingens metodik inkluderade litteraturgranskning, fallstudier med utveckling och tillämpning av REWIND-ramverket i Västernorrlands och Västra Götalands län, inklusive rumslig analys och involvering av intressenter genom fokusgruppsdiskussioner.

Denna avhandling visar att det finns flera utmaningar förknippade med integrering av SMCA i verkliga planeringssammanhang. Till exempel ligger utmaningar som framkom i fokus gruppsdiskussionerna iidentifiering av kriterier och rumsliga indikatorer i olika planeringsskalor, standardisering av rumsligaindikatorer, risk för osynlig avvägning under aggregering och viktning av dessa indikatorer samt kontrollav viktningen. För hållbar vindkraftsplanering kan ett systematiskt och transparent tillvägagångssätt och en samverkansplattform, som gör det möjligt för planerare att välja från beslutsutrymmet med en tydligare förståelse för avvägningen på ett kvantifierat sätt förbättra acceptansen av REWIND-ramverket i planeringssammanhang

Sweden aims to achieve 100% renewable electricity by year 2040 with a major share expectation from wind. In this context, the national strategy developed for wind power development estimates expected shares from each County. With this increased expectations from each county, Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis (SMCA) is used as a tool to integrate contributing and conflicting criteria that influence wind energy planning to find sustainable solutions. A majority of studies accommodating larger number of criteria uses Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) or OWA to solve wind farm siting problems. By this, weights obtained from the stake-holders indicating importance of the criteria are used to allow trade-off between criteria to reach a negotiated decision when there are areas not available as in an ideal scenario. Through this opinions of stakeholders from diverse expertise are thus meant to be incorporated in a transparent and democratic way. However, these trade-off may disguise conflicts which need to be handled in a controlled way. 

The REWIND project aims to develop a framework and GIS tools to conduct SMCA for sustainable wind power planning. The study also addresses planning issues that arises when following the standard approach and ways to handle it. 

Two case studies are included in this project with the collaboration of Västernorrland and Västra Götaland Counties. The methodology includes selection of criteria and transformation into a uniform suitability scale. These factors are aggregated through a conflict score, to prevent high trade-offs in later stages.  Secondly, the importance of one factor over the other is obtained from stake-holders through some weighting method. In general, when the number of factors are more than 9, clustering into groups in hierarchical structure (planning tree) is carried out to calculate weights. The basis for the groups varies and the most common way of clustering is based on the three pillars of sustainability. This not only restricts comparison of factors belonging to different clusters, but it also controls the weight distribution indirectly. The symmetricity of the tree and how it impacts final weights are often overlooked by the participants who carry out weighting and their involvement become more or less pointless. To tackle this, the Ranking-Rating (RR) method is developed and used in the framework, where factors are grouped into different level of importance first, then ranked and rated within each group. Finally, the suitability scores of different scenarios are used to identify suitable sites for wind energy planning.

Through this systematic and transparent approach planners are given various options to choose from the decision space with more clear understanding about the trade-offs in a quantified manner.  Moreover rectifying the standard approach where stake-holders can get integrated in the process more effectively can strengthen the strategic planning process and reduce the delays and difficulties during the permitting process. The REWIND methodological framework, also bridges knowledge gaps through integrating and treating diverse factors with stakeholder involvement in useful ways through development the GIS-based tool. The REWIND tool is transferable and can be used for wind power planning on regional and municipal scales. 

Wind energy plays a vital role to meet growing energy needs and to replace non-renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sweden has set the goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2040 with a major share coming from wind energy. In this context, Sweden has a national strategy for sustainable wind power development, with suggested development shares for each region. However, wind energy development also faces a multitude of ecological and societal impacts that needs consideration. Therefore, wind power planning face major challenges and there is a need for systematic planning support, integrating scientific knowledge and stakeholder valuation. The REWIND project aims to develop GIS-based methods based on multi-criteria analysis (MCA) for sustainable wind power planning.

In the case study of the County of Västernorrland, stakeholders are engaged in the main MCA steps, the design step with factor selection, treatment and aggregation, as well as weighting, and the evaluation step. Preparing this, to gain credibility, we analyse not only scientific literature but also existing planning documents and legal judgments in order to find relevant factors and their treatment and valuation. For the MCA process, we built the REWIND–GIS toolbox in Python for ArcGIS where factor parameters can be easily altered and conflicts in terms of different criteria can be aggregated and scrutinized. Through this a wide array of uncertainties can be tested, such as graded safety distances or conflict areas in varying degrees. Weights of factors from stakeholders are integrated into the model to arrive at different scenarios for suitable sites which are evaluated.

The evaluation and ranking of alternatives can then use the original factors, weights and conflicts while adding also new emerging factors, spatial or non-spatial. In this stage different methods of evaluation are also compared and tested. Through the systematic and transparent approach, planners have various options to choose from the decision space with improved understanding about the trade-offs in a quantified manner. REWIND bridges the knowledge gap in treatment of diverse factors and their performances spatially, through development of the transferable REWIND-GIS tool. This planning support tool will enable sustainable wind power planning on regional level, considering main sustainability aspects and diversified perspectives.

Wind power is one of the renewable energy solutions to meet the challenges of climate change. However, it comes with potential conflicts with other sustainability goals, such as biodiversity. These need to be addressed in regional wind power planning, taking multiple sustainability aspects into account. This project aims to develop methods and the related Rewind-GIS tool for integrating biodiversity in wind power planning on regional level, targeting to meet multiple sustainability goals and to support municipal planning. The REWIND-GIS tool is based on spatial multi-criteria analysis methods to find and evaluate suitable areas for wind farm development. In cooperation with stakeholders, we integrate factors representing wind resources with biodiversity, with subfactors representing sensitive birds, forest and wetland ecosystems, as well as social and other main planning factors. After aggregating and weighing the factors in cooperation with stakeholders, we designed scenarios using opportunistic and defensive approaches. Finally a set of sites were selected for evaluation regarding potential energy output and suitability from wind power developer, social and biodiversity perspectives. In this way, synergies and trade-offs could be quantified and visualised, and main conflicting factors could be localised and discussed during the process. The methodology and the Rewind-GIS tool has potential to be useful for transparent and strategic landscape planning on regional and municipal scales.

Wind power is one of the renewable energy solutions to meet the challenges of climate change. However, it comes with potential conflicts with other sustainability goals, such as biodiversity and ecosystem services. These social and ecological constraints and benefits need to be addressed in regional wind power planning, taking multiple sustainability aspects into account. This project aim to develop methods and the related Rewind-GIS tool for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in wind power planning on regional level, targeting to meet multiple sustainability goals and to support municipal planning. We used spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA) methods and developed a tool to find and evaluate suitable areas for wind farm development. We integrated expert knowledge, such as green infrastructure applied on county level, and structured the decision problem in cooperation with stakeholders. Main factors were wind resources and relevant infrastructure, biodiversity with subfactors representing sensitive birds, forest and wetland ecosystems, cultural ecosystem services related to residential areas as well as outdoor recreation, reindeer hearding, and other land use and claims. After aggregating and weighing the factors in cooperation with stakeholders, we designed scenarios using offensive and defensive approaches. Finally 7 sites of 10 km2 were selected for evaluation regarding potential energy output and suitability from wind power developer, social and ecological perspectives. In this way, synergies and trade-offs could be quantified and visualised, and main conflicting factors could be localised and discussed during the process. The methodology and the Rewind-GIS tool has potential to be useful for transparent landscape planning on regional and municipal scales.

Wind power is one of the renewable energy solutions to meet the challenges of climate change. However, it comes with potential conflicts with other sustainability goals, such as biodiversity and ecosystem services. These challenges need to be addressed in regional planning, taking multiple sustainability aspects into account. This project aim to develop methods and the related Wind-GIS tool for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in wind power planning on regional level, targeting to meet multiple sustainability goals and to support municipal planning. It was conducted in cooperation with the County of Västernorrland. We used spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA) methods and developed a tool to find and evaluate suitable areas for wind farm development. We integrated expert knowledge, such as green infrastructure applied on county level, and structured the decision problem in cooperation with stakeholders. Main factors were wind resources and relevant infrastructure, biodiversity with subfactors representing sensitive birds, forest and wetland ecosystems, cultural ecosystem services related to residential areas as well as outdoor recreation, reindeer hearding, and other land use and claims. After aggregating and weighing the factors in cooperation with stakeholders, we designed scenarios using offensive and defensive approaches. Finally 7 sites of 10 km2 were selected for evaluation regarding potential energy output and suitability from wind power developer, social and ecological perspectives. In this way, synergies and trade-offs could be quantified and visualised, and main conflicting factors could be localised and discussed during the process. The methodology and the Wind-GIS tool has potential to be useful for transparent landscape planning on regional and municipal scales.