A concept of cartographic support for alternative energy

The worldwide spread of alternative energy mapping practice is used to more effective solution to the tasks on planning and development of alternative energy industry. This publication is dedicated to elaboration of the concept for alternative energy mapping support in Ukraine, which would be based on the experience of advanced world countries, and at the same time would take into account national conditions and features – the resource base structure, economic and social conditions, the strategic priorities of the Ukrainian energy sector, etc. The mapping concept development for the needs of alternative energy in Ukraine should take into account the following principles: systematization, comprehensiveness, integration, consistency, completeness and coverage of all aspects of the alternative energy sources using, opening up the cartographic information for the general public via the Internet. Implementation of the concept involves the creation of a regional cartographic products system for the needs of alternative energy including maps of various functions (inventory, evaluation, recommendation, forecast). The cartographic system includes separate maps and a series of maps, which further can be combined into regional or industry atlases, geographic information systems and cartographic Internet services. The article presents a list of maps for alternative energy in Ukraine and the algorithm of their compilation. The regional cartographic products system comprises a series of alternative energy resources maps (wind, solar, small hydro, biomass and geothermal energy); map series of natural, social, economic, technical and environmental conditions and factors that affect the placement of objects belonging to different branches of alternative energy; a series of maps showing the level of alternative energy development in Ukraine, including an inventory of existing in Ukraine thermal and power plants that use alternative energy sources, as well as enterprises for the production of alternative fuels. In addition, the cartographic system includes a recommendation and forecast maps showing perspective regions of alternative energy industries development and projected production of energy from alternative sources.