Renewable Energy and Landscape Transformation: A GIS-Based and Ecosystem Services Assessment

Although increasing the use of renewable energy is a crucial step in reducing the effects of climate change, assessments of sustainable energy can be supported by the lens of ecosystem services to guarantee the sustainability of renewable energy production at the regional level. Land use policy plays a crucial role in this context, as it has the primary power to transform land from the planning stage to implementation. Furthermore, an environmental policy-based analysis supports urban planners in proposing more sustainable and innovative interventions. Compared to traditional planning approaches, these interventions are relatively new, and there is limited time for trial and error due to the urgency of addressing climate change. Ecosystem service indicators can support urban planners, policymakers, and other stakeholders in fostering win-win collaborations. In this study, we investigate renewable energy sources as a phenomenon that has gained significant importance in urban and energy planning. To geographically examine the integration of renewable energy with habitat quality—one of the primary components of ecosystem services—this article suggests a GIS-based methodology by considering Basilicata region as the case study. Three major sections comprise the methodological approach: First, the regional energy plan’s specified policy limits. Second, the sprinkling index was used to geographically analyze the energy landscape fragmentation to evaluate how land use changes were affected by renewable energy installations. Lastly, the ecosystem services lens will guarantee the sustainability of renewable energy production at the regional level.