Analysis of visibility relations

The construction of a wind turbine means an intervention into the landscape, that may be assessed differently depending on the opinion of the beholder.

While the appraisal with the help of photomontages depends on the subjectivity of the beholder, the analysis of visibility relations offers rudiments of an objective appraisal: at first it is illustrated cartographically, from where the planned wind turbines are visible. But because of the decline of landscape affection of the plants with increasing distance, the analysis of visibility relation offers a degree of relevancy of the intervention by the use of grid-shaped calculation of the angle of visibility.

Analyses of visibility relations are especially suited for orographically structured and forested regions as a help for argumentation to objectify the normally emotionally discussed topic – "wind energy and the consumption of landscape".

The analysis includes:

• An extensive documentation of the local conditions

• A description of the calculation method

• Demonstration of the relief of the environment

• Mapping of the sight sectors in the environment (up to 10 km distance)

• Hints to the valuation of the results