Landscape Visual Impact Evaluation for Onshore Wind Farm: A Case Study

Wind energy is an effective solution for achieving the carbon-neutrality target and mitigating climate change. The expansion of onshore wind energy evokes extensive attention to environmental impact in the locality. The landscape visual impact has become the critical reason for the local protest. This paper proposed a landscape visual impact evaluation (LVIE) model that combines the theoretical framework and practical solutions and optimizes the onshore wind farm planning procedures. Based on the theoretical research on landscape connotation, the evaluation principles, criteria, and a quantitative indicator set is constructed for LVIE model with three dimensions: landscape sensitivity, the visual impact of WTs, and viewer exposure. The practicality of this evaluation model is conducted through multi-criteria GIS analysis by the case study of Friedrich-Wilhelm Raiffeisen Wind Farm in Germany. The evaluation results illustrate detailed, visualized outcomes of landscape visual impact that are deeply combined with planning procedures. The innovation of this paper is to refine the form of evaluation results, optimize the procedures of wind farm planning, and enable cooperation between different planning departments and stakeholders with definite, visible, user-friendly evaluation results. This research provides precise comparison opportunities for different projects or the same project at different periods to obtain quantitative conclusions and feedback information. This paper enhances the accurate processing of multiple information and standardization process in wind energy visual impact evaluation.