Mapping the optimal regions for wind farm construction in China

• Developing a comprehensive macro siting framework for wind farm construction. • About 3.49 million km² of land in China is available for wind farm sites. • Northwest and southwest of China are more suitable for wind farm construction. • China should improve the cross-regional allocation mechanism of wind energy. Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy transition, wind energy has emerged as a strategically critical clean energy source, yet its deployment confronts dual challenges of suboptimal site selection efficiency and multifaceted environmental constraints. This research addresses the inherent limitations of unidimensional siting methodologies through the development of an innovative multi-factor coupled assessment framework. By synthesizing multidimensional geospatial datasets spanning nature reserves, land use patterns, wind resource availability, transportation infrastructure, and grid connectivity, a comprehensive evaluation system was established. This system quantitatively integrates five critical dimensions: wind energy generation potential, demographic-economic electricity demand profiles, transportation network accessibility, power transmission capacity, and geomorphological characteristics. The proposed model achieves unprecedented macro-scale synergistic optimization of these interdependent factors, systematically elucidating the spatial configuration patterns of wind farm suitability across China. Furthermore, it provides a novel decision-support mechanism for scientifically-based site selection processes.