Case study: Understanding the trade-offs of alternative energy sources

1. Welcome

Renewables play a fundamental role in our transition away from fossil fuel energy sources to more sustainable options. However, no energy source is perfect, and it is essential to understand both the benefits and different potential impacts.

Evaluating different energy sources enables communities and individuals to select the most appropriate energy source for their location and needs. Knowledge of trade-offs is not only important for the evaluation process but also ensures that informed support or challenge of investment decisions based on environmental, social and justice considerations.

You may be: 

• Considering different alternative energy sources.  
• Interested in the benefits and trade-offs of different energy types. 
• Making decisions about how to address or mitigate against trade-offs. 

By reviewing this case study, you will:

• Understand why examining the benefits and potential impacts of renewables is important. 
• Be able to name some key benefits and potential trade-offs of different alternative energy sources. 
• Develop an understanding of how trade-offs can be addressed. 

Every1 case studies aim to support conversation, reflection and action on a key topic. Case studies provide key facts, examples, practical advice and reflective questions.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this case study! Please complete our short survey.  

2. Factsheet

Let's take a closer look at the benefits and potential trade-offs of five key renewable energy sources. In this fact sheet you will:

• Find out why the impact of renewables is important.  
• Examine some key benefits and trade-offs of five different alternative energy sources.
• Consider one example of how balancing trade-offs works in practice.

Download Understanding the trade-offs of alternative energy sources - EN (PDF) (356.1 KB)

Go deeper! Check-out some further resources:

• Be inspired! Find out why it’s important to centre community involvement and benefit from day one. In Denmark the Middelgrunden wind farm is part-owned by a cooperative of citizens. Read more in Communal ownership drives Denmark’s wind revolution.
• Find out more about what types of renewable energy are leading the way in different countries in this European Commission article 47% of the EU’s electricity came from renewables in 2025.
• Explore some other international case study examples of agrivoltaics and the benefits of this approach in Case studies of successful AV projects.

3. Reflective Questions

If you’re evaluating different alternative energy sources, you may want to consider:

• Which trade-offs matter most in your community?
• Energy justice: Who benefits from – and who bears the impact of – renewable energy projects?
• Cumulative impacts: Whilst a single solar panel has minimal impact… what happens when thousands are deployed?
• Life-cycle assessment: What is the life cycle of a particular energy source? What emissions and resources are used to produce the equipment needed? How will you dispose of a particular technology when it reaches the end of its life?

4. Other Every1 Resources

You may find the following learning materials from Every1 useful: 

• The learning pathway Renewable energy and community solutions.
• The slide deck How does climate change impact renewable energy?
• The case study European Islands of Innovation: Digital Solutions for Sustainable Energy Communities in Europe.
• The slide deck Circularity and the digital energy transition.

You can also explore our Every1 Knowledge Hub, which has more than 80 different learning materials on digital energy topics, many available in a range of European languages. 

5. Acknowledgements

This case study and its components were created by the Every1 project and are licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, unless otherwise stated.  

Main case study image: a group of wind turbines on a hill by Chalo Garcia is on an Unsplash license. 

Factsheet 

Icons used (aside from the Every1 logo, funded by the EU logo and related images) are used according to Canva licensing terms. 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) under grant agreement No 101075596. The sole responsibility for the content of this course lies with the Every1 project and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.