The application of GIS and 3D graphic software to visual impact assessment of wind turbines

Abstract

Visibility of wind turbines is one of the most subjective factors influencing the decision on the potential location to build wind turbines. The spatial extent of the visual impact of wind turbines usually covers a wide area. The paper proposes a new method for visual impact assessment of wind turbines. The proposed method uses GIS tools and 3D graphic software for developing three-dimensional models and computer animations. The developed method was verified in the field. The usefulness of this method is presented on the example of the Poznań Metropolis in Poland, where construction of wind turbines is considered. The analyzes related to visual assessment of the effect of wind turbines with a height of 150 m above ground should be performed over a distance reduced to 12 km. Visibility range of wind turbines depends on the position of the observer in relation to the wind turbine. For longitudinal, diagonal and frontal views the visual impact is limited to 4, 10 and 12 km, respectively.The results obtained using the method proposed were compared with those provided by the other methods used to assess the visibility of wind turbines. As a conclusion, the advantages of this method in favor of its popularization were described.