The role of GIS in the transition
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a critical role in mapping renewable energy sources. However, this field is still developing and has limited applications.
The POSEIDON project emphasizes the importance of GIS-based analyses to identify renewable energy potential in cities, marking a significant step toward the broader use of this technology in energy planning. These efforts enable cities to make more informed, strategic decisions as they transition to sustainable energy systems.
Making GIS more effective in urban energy planning
GIS plays a critical role in urban energy planning by mapping renewable energy potential. However, their application in mapping renewable energy sources remains limited, due to data diversity and technical expertise requirements. These barriers have slowed its adoption in many cities. The POSEIDON project combines GIS with Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to evaluate the potential of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass, alongside urban infrastructure and land use patterns.
One of the biggest challenges in this field is accessing and organizing accurate and comprehensive GIS based datasets related to renewable energy sources. While cities provide extensive data on land use, urban macroform, and other fundamental spatial elements, spatial data on renewable energy sources is often scarce. This situation can impact decision-making processes to discussing suitable PED areas both now and in the future. GIS facilitates the integration of various criteria, ensuring that site selections are both technically sound and contextually relevant. These analyses highlight the importance of strengthening GIS capabilities to support renewable energy transformations in cities.
This need for stronger GIS integration underscores the necessity for more standardized and collaborative data sharing among municipalities.
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The POSEIDON project takes a significant step by integrating GIS and MCDA methods to map renewable energy potential in cities. This process enables local governments to plan renewable energy sources more efficiently and contributes to the energy transition of their cities. In the coming years, as these projects expand and become more applicable to additional cities, the role of GIS technologies in renewable energy will become even stronger. Advances in this field offer great opportunities for cities to reduce their carbon footprint and develop sustainable energy solutions.
