Planning for renewable energy without conflict: the potential of using sensitivity mapping as a decision-support tool

Expanding the use of renewable energy is a policy imperative, but it must proceed without compromising other vital objectives - such as biodiversity conservation, water management, cultural heritage, and public health - while also actively involving the public. This study emphasises sensitivity mapping as a decision-support tool for integrating diverse political and societal concerns into renewable energy planning. Unlike prior studies, which focused solely on methodological applications, we highlight the utility of sensitivity mapping as a policy-making instrument. Using Slovenia as a case study, we present an example of comprehensive sensitivity mapping at a national scale involving several protection regimes. The findings demonstrate how sensitivity mapping can identify a greater-than-expected potential for conflict-free renewable energy development. However, the study also exposes that there are limits to expanding renewable energy without encroaching on protection regimes, and raises questions about the feasibility of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 at a country-wide level. As sensitivity mapping gains traction across the EU, we underline its potential to enable anticipatory, integrative, and inclusive planning. We also highlight its role in recognising the limits and trade-offs of energy planning, reinforcing the shift of renewable energy expansion from solely a political decision to one grounded in a broader societal consensus.