To achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, a massive expansion of renewable energies is necessary, particularly wind power and photovoltaics (PV). However, this expansion faces significant challenges: competing land-use demands from nature conservation, forestry, agriculture, and legal distance regulations limit the availability of suitable sites. At the same time, landscape transformations can lead to societal tensions.

In addition to meteorological factors such as wind speed and solar irradiance, the two regions differ significantly in terms of population structure, economic profile, landscape character, and legal frameworks. This makes them ideal case studies for capturing differences in the potential for climate-neutral electricity generation and the associated landscape changes.

The results show that designing climate-neutral energy landscapes is not a technical challenge but a spatially and socially embedded one. While the Allgäu region has sufficient land potential to meet the projected electricity demand by 2045, the Cologne administrative district requires a differentiated, area-optimized strategy. The studies highlight that the energy transition will only succeed if technical potential, legal frameworks, and societal acceptance are brought into harmony.

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