A Study on the Visual Impact of Photovoltaic Facilities on Rural Landscapes With the Visual Q-Method

The abundant land resources in rural areas have allowed for a rapid growth of the photovoltaic (PV) industry. However, the largescale construction of PV facilities has significantly impacted rural landscapes. This study systematically analyzed the visual impact of PV facilities on rural landscapes using the visual Q-method. By selecting images of PV facilities within rural natural, settlement, and production landscapes from different regions in China, visual perception scoring was conducted between experts and non-experts. Statistical analysis of the scoring results using PQMethod2.35 software identified five primary factors influencing the visual impact of PV facilities on rural landscapes: boundary integration, morphological innovation, color richness and coordination, multifunction, and scale. The findings indicate that PV facilities exert the most significant visual impact on rural natural landscapes, with a clear disparity in satisfaction. PV facilities negatively affect rural settlement landscapes, with dissatisfaction frequencies significantly exceeding satisfaction frequencies. However, their visual impact on rural production landscapes is negligible. The results will provide a reference for landscape planning and design of PV facilities in rural areas, supporting the sustainable development of PV facilities.