What do you mean by ‘(un-)suitable’? Analysing the diversity of social acceptance towards the deployment of renewable energies in different landscapes

Local energy transitions are shaped by diverse stakeholder perspectives on land use, reflecting competing values, knowledge systems, and political views. This study applies the landscape services framework to systematically assess renewable energy (RE) suitability across different landscapes, capturing both ecological and socio-cultural dimensions. Through stakeholder surveys in two German regions and statistical comparative analysis, we reveal how suitability perceptions vary significantly: (1) between stakeholder groups (e.g. conservationists vs. developers), (2) across regions (industrial vs. ecological-cultural contexts), and (3) even within groups sharing similar objectives. Key findings show strong preference for RE development in industrial and agricultural zones (‘acceptance corridors’) and opposition in ecologically sensitive areas, though with notable regional exceptions. The landscape services approach proves effective in mapping these conflicts and consensus areas, providing actionable insights for spatially sensitive RE planning. Our results underscore the need to complement technical siting criteria with structured assessments of social landscape values to enable just and locally accepted energy transitions.