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Background <p>The transition to low-carbon energy systems is essential for climate change mitigation, but it involves new land use pressures, posing potential risks to biodiversity and local communities. This study estimates the land area required for six onshore wind power-based hydrogen production scenarios in Finland, using empirical data from existing wind power plants. By doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on the socio-ecological impacts of energy transitions. It emphasizes the importance of better understanding and addressing land use pressures affecting ecosystems and communities in decision-making, in an effort to build sustainable, low-carbon societies.</p> Results <p>The analysis is based on 24 wind power areas in Finland, with capacities ranging from 90 to 416&#xa0;MW. Their direct land use (km<sup>2</sup>), turbine spacing area (km<sup>2</sup>), installed capacity density (MW/km<sup>2</sup>), length of the edge between industrial production sites and their surroundings (km and m/MW), and annual energy production potentials (TWh) were calculated. Using the calculated installed capacity densities and comparing them with the capacity density values obtained from literature, we analyzed the hydrogen value chain from variable wind power production to pressurized hydrogen. Since there are losses at each conversion step, much more wind power, and thus land area, is needed than what the hydrogen output alone indicates. When scaling these findings to fit hydrogen economy scenarios, the land area required for wind power and the infrastructure associated with hydrogen production becomes substantial. To achieve the hydrogen production targets set by the Finnish government using onshore wind power, it might be necessary to install wind power plants covering more than 8% of Finland’s total land area, including the spacing area, a figure comparable to the country’s arable land area.</p> Conclusions <p>These findings highlight the scale of land use change associated with hydrogen production powered by onshore wind energy. Standardized, transparent land use assessments, distinguishing between direct, spacing, and total land use, are needed to understand socio-ecological impacts across scales. Expanding assessments beyond techno-economic considerations and individual projects to landscape scales, along with prioritizing energy efficiency, is essential to aligning renewable energy expansion with socio-ecological sustainability and broader sustainable development.</p>

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Land use in onshore wind power-based hydrogen production scenarios: the case of Finland

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月19日

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  • Hanna Paulomäki,
  • Mika Järvinen,
  • Eeva-Lotta Apajalahti

摘要

Background

The transition to low-carbon energy systems is essential for climate change mitigation, but it involves new land use pressures, posing potential risks to biodiversity and local communities. This study estimates the land area required for six onshore wind power-based hydrogen production scenarios in Finland, using empirical data from existing wind power plants. By doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on the socio-ecological impacts of energy transitions. It emphasizes the importance of better understanding and addressing land use pressures affecting ecosystems and communities in decision-making, in an effort to build sustainable, low-carbon societies.

Results

The analysis is based on 24 wind power areas in Finland, with capacities ranging from 90 to 416 MW. Their direct land use (km2), turbine spacing area (km2), installed capacity density (MW/km2), length of the edge between industrial production sites and their surroundings (km and m/MW), and annual energy production potentials (TWh) were calculated. Using the calculated installed capacity densities and comparing them with the capacity density values obtained from literature, we analyzed the hydrogen value chain from variable wind power production to pressurized hydrogen. Since there are losses at each conversion step, much more wind power, and thus land area, is needed than what the hydrogen output alone indicates. When scaling these findings to fit hydrogen economy scenarios, the land area required for wind power and the infrastructure associated with hydrogen production becomes substantial. To achieve the hydrogen production targets set by the Finnish government using onshore wind power, it might be necessary to install wind power plants covering more than 8% of Finland’s total land area, including the spacing area, a figure comparable to the country’s arable land area.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the scale of land use change associated with hydrogen production powered by onshore wind energy. Standardized, transparent land use assessments, distinguishing between direct, spacing, and total land use, are needed to understand socio-ecological impacts across scales. Expanding assessments beyond techno-economic considerations and individual projects to landscape scales, along with prioritizing energy efficiency, is essential to aligning renewable energy expansion with socio-ecological sustainability and broader sustainable development.