The construction of extra-high voltage power grids is subject of a very emotional public debate. Therefore, an objective approach is becoming increasingly important in the planning process. Stakeholders from politics, administration and the public often criticize the insufficient comprehensibility of the planning of transmission system operators (TSOs). They demand that the transparency of methodological procedures for finding routes that are as spatially and environmentally compatible. This is where the BMWi-funded research project comes into play. The goal was to develop an automated and efficient method for identifying and evaluating suitable routes for extra-high voltage overhead lines.

The interdisciplinary project consortium, consisting of spatial planners, mathematicians and computer scientists, follows a transparent multi-criteria approach based on the Pareto optimization method. Through this novel approach, potential conflicts and interactions of route planning on the environment are efficiently identified and vividly demonstrated. The multi-criteria search algorithm takes relevant spatial planning, environmental, socio-economic, and technical concerns into account.

By changing the input parameters (e.g., protective distances to settlement areas), it is possible to clearly determine and understand the effects of individual concerns on the route and whether a project is feasible with regard to the changed conditions. This enables planners to identify and evaluate spatially and environmentally compatible routes. At the same time, the application of this method can meet the demand for increased traceability, transparency and acceptance of route planning. Therefore, a versatile use is also conceivable in participation and consideration processes.

Project website