Visual impact assessment of wind farms using open-source software: A free method for creating accurate and realistic visualizations

Wind turbines, while essential for the transition to renewable energies, face public opposition mainly due to their dominating presence and associated visual impact on the landscape. The key to overcoming this challenge is community involvement and transparent planning, during which the nearby inhabitants are presented with imagery illustrating how the landscape might appear after the installation of the proposed wind farm. Feedback on such imagery helps the planners minimize any negative visual impacts perceived by local inhabitants. The current methods typically used to determine visual impact assessment based on visualizations have two main drawbacks. First, they are meant to be used and reviewed by professionals and are difficult for the layperson to understand. Second, they lack accuracy and realism. Therefore, there is a need for an accessible method to produce realistic and accurate visualizations. The novel approach presented in this research is based on utilizing open-source, free pieces of software and publicly available data to ensure its accessibility. At the same time, the professional software and the tested method guarantee the accuracy and quality of the results. This approach particularly benefits municipalities and academics aiming to engage local communities in decision-making. We validated the method by applying it to an existing wind farm, where comparisons with actual site photographs demonstrated its accuracy. Further testing on a proposed wind farm expansion provided high-quality visualizations, which professionals positively evaluated. The results indicate that this method offers a practical tool for addressing visual impact concerns, supporting more informed and inclusive wind farm development. • Public opposition to wind farms arises due to their visual impact, requiring accurate visualizations to gain support. • Traditional assessment methods lack realistic photo simulations, limiting their effectiveness in evaluating visual impact. • A novel open-source method using QGIS, Blender, and GIMP improves accessibility for impact assessments. • The method was validated by comparing renders with real photos, ensuring accuracy and realism. • Future work suggests AR and 360-degree renders for better public engagement and visualization.