Socio-economic impact of photovoltaic park: The Giurgiu County rural area, Romania

Authors

  • Irena Mocanu Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, 12 D. Racoviţă Str., Bucharest
  • Bianca Mitrică Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, 12 D. Racoviţă Str., Bucharest
  • Mihaela Persu Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, 12 D. Racoviţă Str., Bucharest

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.4261

Keywords:

geography, solar park, land use, regional development, rural space, Romania

Abstract

The paper aims to analyse the socio-economic territorial impact of photovoltaic parks in the rural area of Giurgiu County. The analysis valorises two types of data: the statistical information on the local socio-economic features provided by the National Institute of Statistics and the Giurgiu County Statistics Office, and the specific information about the photovoltaic parks revealed by the interviews applied to the local authorities during field investigation. The case-studies discussed in this paper reflect the socio-economic effects of building and operating the six photovoltaic parks as in the three rural local administrative units – LAU2: Izvoarele, Stăneşti and Malu. This study emphasizes four types of the socio-economic effects of investment in a photovoltaic project on: local rural economy, land use changes, local investments, budget and local labour market.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Irena Mocanu, Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, 12 D. Racoviţă Str., Bucharest

Human Geography Department

References

Altius Photovoltaic Company. Internet: http://www.altiusfotovoltaic.ro (15. 6. 2016).

Babbie, E. R. 1998: The practice of social research. Orange.

Bălteanu, D., Badea, L., Buza, M., Niculescu, G., Popescu, C., Dumitraşcu, M. 2006: Romania. Space, society, environment. Bucharest.

Bănică, A., Istrate, M. 2014: Renewable energy emergence – opportunities for a resilient workforce in Romania. Scientific Annals of „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi – Geography series 60-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15551/scigeo.v60i1.324

Berger, A., Fischer, D., Lema, R., Schmitz, H., Urban, F. 2012: China–Europe relations in climate change mitigation: A conceptual framework. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs 42-1. Internet:

https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/.../ (15. 3. 2016).

Bridge, G. 2011: Resource geographies 1. Making carbon economies, old and new. Progress in Human Geography 35-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0309132510385524

Bridge, G., Bouzarovski, S., Bradshaw, M., Eyre, N. 2013: Geographies of energy transition: Space, place and the low-carbon economy. Energy Policy 53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.10.066

Caldes, N., Santamaria, M., Sáez, R. 2009: Economic impact of solar thermal electricity deployment in Spain. Energy Policy 37-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.12.022

Cameron, D., Cohen, B., Morrison, S. 2012: An approach to enhance the conservation-compatibility of solar energy development. PloS one 7-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038437

Câmpeanu, V., Pencea, S. 2014: Renewable energy sources in Romania: from a “paradise” of investors to a possible abandon or to another boom? The impact of a new paradigm in Romanian renewable sources policy. Procedia Economics and Finance 8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(14)00072-0

Chelcea, S. 2006: Metodologia cercetării sociologice. Metode cantitative şi calitative. Bucureşti.

Emergency Government Ordinance 2013. Internet: https://goo.gl/Snhzx2 (24. 5. 2015).

Fekete, K., Klaić, Z., Majdandžić, L. 2012: Expansion of the residential photovoltaic systems and its harmonic impact on the distribution grid. Renewable energy 43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2011.11.026

Frantál, B., Pasqualetti, M. J., Van der Horst, D. 2014: New trends and challenges for energy geographies: introduction to the special issue. Moravian Geographical Reports 2-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgr-2014-0006

Gaigalis, V., Markevicius, A., Katinas, V., Skema, R. 2014: Analysis of the renewable energy promotion in Lithuania in compliance with the European Union strategy and policy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.04.013

Ghani-Eneland, M., Chawla, A. 2009: Low carbon jobs for Europe. Current opportunities and future prospects. Internet: http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1251673/Low%20carbon%20jobs%20for%20Europe2009.pdf (24. 9. 2015).

Gherasim, V. 2003: Studiu privind necesitatea organizării Zonei metropolitane Bucureşti. Bucureşti.

Giurgiu County Agency for Environment Protection 2014: Mayoralties of Izvoarele, Malu and Stăneşti.

Giurgiu County Statistics Office 2012: Geography and statistics.

Giurgiu County Council 2014: Socio-economic development strategy of Giurgiu County 2014–2020.

Hauff, J., Bode, A., Neumann, D., Haslauer, F. 2014: Global energy transitions. A comparative analysis of key countries and implications for the international energy debate. Berlin.

Hernandez, R., Hoffacker, M., Field, C. 2014: Land-Use Efficiency of Big Solar. Environmental Science & Technology 48-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es4043726

Hernandez, R., Hoffacker, M., Murphy-Mariscal, M., Wu, G., Allen, M. 2015: Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas. Procedeeings of the National Academy of Science of the USA 112-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1517656112

Ianoş, I. 1999: Analysis of principles, strategic objectives and specific policies of public services in order to achieve regional spatial plan – Bucharest Metropolitan Area. Bucharest.

Ianoş, I., Peptenatu, D., Drăghici, C., Pintilii, R. D. 2012: Management elements of the emergent metropolitan areas in a transition country. Romania, as case study. Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis 4-2.

Intelligent decision support system for the low voltage grid with distributed power generation from renewable energy resources (InDeSen Project) 2012. Internet: http://indesen.ats.com.ro/baza_date/fotovoltaic.php (12. 6. 2016).

Internet 1: http://www.egnatia-rom.ro/portfolio-item/parc-solar-stanesti-55-mw/ (12. 6. 2015).

Iordan, I. 1973: Zona periurbană Bucureşti. Bucureşti.

Iordan, I. 1998: Les categories taxonomiques: zone suburbaine, zone périurbaine, zone métropolitaine. 4th Romanian-Polish Geographical International Seminars – Socio-economic changes in the suburban areas of large cities in Romania and Poland. Bucharest.

Kerbler, B. 2015: Population aging in Slovenia: A spatial perspective. Acta geographica Slovenica 55-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.1885

Knific, K., Bojnec, Š. 2015: Structural changes in land use of agricultural holdings in hilly rural areas. Acta geographica Slovenica 55-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.736

Kontogianni, A., Tourkolias, C., Skourtos, M. 2013: Renewables portfolio, individual preferences and social values towards RES technologies. Energy Policy 55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.12.033

Kunc, J., Frantál, B., Klusáček, P. 2011: Brownfields as places for renewable sources location? 14th International Colloquium on Regional Sciences. Boretice.

Kunc, J., Martinát, S., Tonev, P., Frantál, B. 2014: Destiny of urban brownfields: Spatialpatterns and perceived consequences of post-socialistic deindustrialization. Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences 41-E.

Legea pentru stabilirea sistemului de promovare a producerii energiei din surse regenerabile de energie 220/2008. Monitorul Oficial I-577, 13. 8. 2010.

Lymann, R. 2016: Green jobs – rhetoric or reality? A brief review of the evidence. Internet: https://www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/Green-Jobs-Rhetoric_Lyman.pdf (24. 7. 2016).

Marshall, C., Gretchen, B. R. 2016: Designing qualitative research. Los Angeles.

Mezei, C. 2008: The role of Hungarian local government in local economic development. Discussion papers 63.

Mihai, B., Nistor, C., Simion, G. 2015: Post-socialist urban growth of Bucharest, Romania – a change detection analysis on Landsat imagery (1984–2010). Acta geographica Slovenica 55-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.709

Mocanu, I., Mitrică, B., Persu, M. 2015: Consequences of setting up photovoltaic parks-related land use/land cover changes in Giurgiu County rural area (Romania). Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences 10-4.

Mocanu, I., Mitrică, B., Vîrdol, A., Şerban, P. 2015: Territorial patterns of socio-economic development in the Romanian Danube Valley. Forum geografic 14-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2015.168.d

Nadaï, A., van der Horst, D. 2010: Landscapes of Energies. Landscape Research 35-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01426390903557543

National Regulatory Authority for Energy, 2013: List of economic operators and power plants accredited to apply the system of green certificates, December 2013. Internet: http://www.anre.ro/en/electric-energy/public-info (24. 7. 2016).

OECD green growth studies 2012. Linking renewable energy to rural development. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264180444-en

Oprea, C. 2008: Radiaţia solară, Clima României. Bucureşti.

Pasqualetti, M. 2012: Reading the changing energy landscape. Sustainable Energy landscapes: designing, planning, and development. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/b13037-4

Paulescu, M., Paulescu, E., Gavrilă P., Bădescu, V. 2013: Solar radiation measurements. Weather modeling and forecasting of PV system operation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4649-0_2

Pavlíček, M. 2012: Overview of the situation on photovoltaic market in selected eastern European states after world crisis in 2011. Equilibrium 7-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12775/EQUIL.2012.023

Pelin, D., Šljivac, D., Topiċ, D., Varjú, V. 2014: Regional impacts of different photovoltaic systems. Pécs.

Săgeată, R. 2004: Zonele metropolitane în România. Revista Română de Geografie Politică 6, 1–2.

Salvioni, C. 2008: Diversification, multifunctionality and pluriactivity in Italian FADN. Internet: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ess/pages/rural/wye_city_group/2009/Paper_1_4_Aguglia_Diversification_and_Multifunctionality_in_Italy_and_the_Netherlands.doc (11. 6. 2014).

Sliz-Szkliniarz, B. 2013: Assessment of the renewable energy-mix and land use trade-off at a regional level: A case study for the Kujawsko–Pomorskie Voivodship. Land Use Policy 35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.05.018

Smil, V. 2003: Energy at the crossroads: Global perspectives and uncertainties. Cambridge.

Şandor, D. S. 2011: Metode şi tehnici de cercetare folosite în ştiinţele sociale. Cluj-Napoca. Internet: http://www.apubb.ro/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Suport-MTCS-Ro.pdf (15. 11. 2016).

Van Huylenbroeck, G., Vandermeulen, V., Mettepenningen, E., Verspecht, A. 2007: Multifunctionality of agriculture: A review of definitions, evidence and instruments. Living reviews in landscape research 1-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12942/lrlr-2007-3

Wilson, G. 2010: Multifunctional ‘quality’ and rural community resilience. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 35-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-5661.2010.00391.x

Wolfe, P. R. 2012: Solar parks and solar farms. Practical handbook of photovoltaics, fundamentals and applications. Oxford.

Zhao, Z. Y., Zuo, J., Feng, T. T., Zillante, G. 2011: International cooperation on renewable energy development in China – A critical analysis. Renewable Energy 36-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2010.09.002

Zimmerer, K. 2011: The new geographies of energy. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 101-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00045608.2011.575318

Zoellner, J., Schweizer-Ries, P., Wemheuer, C. 2008: Public Acceptance of Renewable Energies: Results from Case Studies in Germany. Energy Policy 36-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.06.026

Downloads

Published

01-01-2019

How to Cite

Mocanu, I., Mitrică, B., & Persu, M. (2019). Socio-economic impact of photovoltaic park: The Giurgiu County rural area, Romania. Acta Geographica Slovenica, 59(1), 37–50. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.4261