Assessing the social life cycle impacts of future energy mixes: the illustrative case study of power generation in Spain

• Novel framework links energy modelling with social life cycle assessment. • Spain’s electricity production mix up to 2050 used to test the framework. • New technologies improve efficiency but add risks from complex infrastructure. • Projected cumulative social impacts of wind and photovoltaic power are significant. • Energy planning must add social impacts to ensure just transitions. The transition towards sustainable energy systems requires a comprehensive evaluation of their environmental, economic, and social implications. While economic and environmental dimensions have been widely considered in energy planning, the social impacts of future energy systems remain unknown. For the first time, this study develops a prospective framework integrating energy systems modelling and social life cycle assessment to evaluate the potential social impacts of evolving energy pathways. Given Spain’s significant efforts to transform its power sector, this study assesses social impacts—including labour conditions, gender equality, and economic development—associated with the Spanish electricity mix up to 2050, thereby illustrating the application of the novel framework. The results indicate that the transition to new technologies reduces some social risks due to higher efficiency and lower labour intensity in comparison to existing power technologies but introduces new vulnerabilities linked to infrastructure complexity and global supply chain dependencies. While onshore wind would involve relatively low individual social impacts, the projected cumulative social effects of this technology along with solar photovoltaics were found to be significant. The nuclear phase-out by 2035 could mitigate social risks like forced labour but also reduce local socio-economic benefits. Meanwhile, maintaining and installing natural gas combined cycle power plants could keep current social impact levels, including gender disparities. These findings highlight the need to integrate the social dimension into energy planning to ensure just and inclusive transitions. In this sense, this study proves the usefulness of the proposed framework as a systematic approach for evaluating social impacts of evolving energy pathways and guiding policy decisions towards socially responsible energy systems.