Introducing a group spatial decision support system for use in strategic environmental assessment of onshore wind farm development in Mexico

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 220; pp. 1239 - 1254
• Main Authors: Diez-Rodríguez, José J., Fischer, Thomas B., Di Zio, Simone
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 20-05-2019
• Subjects: GSDSS; Mexico; Real Time Spatial Delphi; Renewable energy; Strategic Environmental Assessment; Wind energy; Mexico; Strategic Environmental Assessment; Wind energy; Renewable energy; Real Time Spatial Delphi; GSDSS
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.154

In this paper we introduce a method for potential use in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) which integrates knowledge and tools of Collective Intelligence, Complexity Theory and Geoprospective, via the implementation of a technological Group-Spatial Decision Support System (GSDSS), usable for scenario building for infrastructure project planning. It operates on the basis of interdisciplinary consensus of a multidisciplinary group of experts, without strict dependency on a spatial analysis based on a single cognitive stance, using existing historical data. The method is used in a study case on planning of onshore wind energy in Mexico, which has been developed through a collaborative Geoweb application, and is functioning in a distributed and asynchronous real-time way, so-called Geospatial System of Collective Intelligence (SIGIC). The significance of this research lies in demonstrating the feasibility of a collective intelligence analysis aimed at proposing spatial locations in an energy transition context within an SEA framework.
•Proposal of a GSDSS-based SEA approach for Mexico.•Application of the Real-Time Spatial Delphi method in a new spatial planning context.•Promotion of a structured sustainability impact management framework for a renewable energy transition.•Enabling open and transparent stakeholder engagement and publication consultation exercise in SEA.•Technological application of Collective Intelligence for an inter disciplinary geospatial analysis.