Urban wind energy : social, environmental and planning considerations

Wind power has an important role as a renewable energy source for energy security of supply and in supporting sustainable development. The integration of renewable sources of energy generation nearer to consumers within the built environment forms one of the main strategies for smart cities. Wind energy Technologies and related structures and infrastructure are expected to form an integral part of the Smart Cities of the future. Past experience has shown that wind technology very often receives significant opposition from the communities. The paper presents key issues concerning social, environmental and planning considerations of wind technology in the urban environment. The outcome of the WINERCOST survey and the Urban Wind Energy focus group are discussed in the context of current research in this field. The assessment leads to the development of key principles for a strategy to enhance the Smart Cities Concept by effectively introducing Urban Wind Energy.peer-reviewe