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Smart Siting

Balancing renewable energy siting with community and conservation priorities.

bee on wildflowers in front of solar panels.
Nature-inclusive solar park A bee pollinates a flower in front of solar panels at the Spitalhöfe solar PV park in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany. © Jan Roeder foto@janroeder.de

To meet global energy demand while also achieving our climate goals, the world needs to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. We need to go smart to go fast, and by integrating environmental and community information into renewable energy siting decisions, we can support rapid and responsible energy deployment.

We call this Smart Siting—ensuring renewable energy is sited in places that reduce risks and deliver benefits for people and nature.

Why Smart Siting Matters

Infographic explaining how Siting Renewable Energy is Complex
Siting is Complex Today, clean energy planning requires balancing technical feasibility and cost with conservation priorities, community interests and local land-use considerations.

There’s enough suitable land worldwide to build renewables at the scale we need, but renewable energy projects can often face opposition from communities concerned about their impacts. Addressing these environmental and social concerns early in the planning process can enable faster, more cost-effective development. When planned and sited well, renewable energy can:

  • Strengthen public trust and community support.
  • Reduce risks and costs for industry and investors.
  • Avoid impacts to wildlife and habitat and restore and enhance nature’s values.
  • Revitalize degraded lands such as former mines and industrial sites.

Siting renewable energy is complex

worker in a hard hat walks through field with grazing animals and wind turbines in distance.
Renewable Energy Future An operator walks through a Colorado wind farm at sunset. © Cavan Images/Getty Images
butterfly on plants in front of solar panels.
Pollinator-Friendly Solar TNC & Pollinator Partnership offer guidance on smart siting principles & solar habitat co-location to ensure win–win results for Illinois’ transition to clean energy. © Jason Whalen/Fauna Creative
Renewable Energy Future An operator walks through a Colorado wind farm at sunset. © Cavan Images/Getty Images
Pollinator-Friendly Solar TNC & Pollinator Partnership offer guidance on smart siting principles & solar habitat co-location to ensure win–win results for Illinois’ transition to clean energy. © Jason Whalen/Fauna Creative

Clean Energy Transition

See all the ways we are working to advance a clean, green and equitable energy future.

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Smart siting is the foundation for renewable energy that supports climate, conservation and communities.

Our Initiatives

TNC develops science-based maps, planning tools, resources, and partnerships that help governments, industry and communities identify the right places for renewable energy.

Smart Siting in Europe

Across Europe, TNC collaborates with policymakers, local communities, scientific institutions and industry actors to guide decisions and provide best practices.

A Smarter Path to a Clean Energy Transition Worldwide

The dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss demand both urgency and balance. By deploying renewable energy strategically and sustainably, we can protect ecosystems, power communities and accelerate global decarbonization. TNC’s smart siting and planning tools and resources make this possible—ensuring renewable energy is built where it makes the most sense.

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Building Europe’s Renewable Energy Future

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