sustainability Article Agricultural Land or Photovoltaic Parks? The Water–Energy– Food Nexus and Land Development Perspectives in the Thessaly Plain, Greece G.-Fivos Sargentis * , Paraskevi Siamparina, Georgia-Konstantina Sakki, Andreas Efstratiadis , Michalis Chiotinis and Demetris Koutsoyiannis Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece;
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[email protected] Abstract: Water, energy, land, and food are vital elements with multiple interactions. In this context, the concept of a water–energy–food (WEF) nexus was manifested as a natural resource management approach, aiming at promoting sustainable development at the international, national, or local level and eliminating the negative effects that result from the use of each of the four resources against the other three. At the same time, the transition to green energy through the application of renewable Citation: Sargentis, G.-F.; energy technologies is changing and perplexing the relationships between the constituent elements Siamparina, P.; Sakki, G.-K.; Efstratiadis, A.; Chiotinis, M.; of the nexus, introducing new conflicts, particularly related to land use for energy production vs. Koutsoyiannis, D. Agricultural Land food. Specifically, one of the most widespread “green” technologies is photovoltaic (PV) solar energy, or Photovoltaic Parks? The now being the third foremost renewable energy source in terms of global installed capacity. However, Water–Energy–Food Nexus and Land the growing development of PV systems results in ever expanding occupation of agricultural lands, Development Perspectives in the which are most advantageous for siting PV parks.