Visibility and influence of landscape appreciation by wind turbines, 2012

Large differences in effects of wind turbines on landscape appreciation

The degree to which wind turbines affect the appreciation largely depends on their visibility, which is determined by the height, its proximity and the presence or absence of trees and buildings that hide the wind turbine. The actual effects of the visibility and proximity of a wind turbine at a particular location depend on four other factors. The first is the original amenity value of the local landscape. The more attractive the original landscape was, and the more the wind turbine clashes with the identity of this landscape, the greater its disturbing effect on the landscape appreciation. This is also influenced by the visibility of other objects that adversely affect landscape appreciation: the first visible object has the greatest impact, while adding other intrusive elements hardly increases the effect. The amenity value may also be influenced by the relative positions of intrusive elements relative to each other, to other objects and to existing landscape elements, as well as the design of the wind turbine in terms of colour and materials used. These aspects have, however, hardly been quantified in perception research. Finally, the degree to which people are personally involved in a wind turbine is known to affect their appreciation: a farmer will not dislike the smell of the manure produced by his own cows.

Visibility wind turbines and landscape appreciation

The effect of visible wind turbines on the public's appreciation has been well-documented. Where wind turbines with a height of 100 m are visible, the appreciation of the landscape within a radius of 1.5 km around the turbine is reduced by a third compared to the same landscape without the wind turbine. Although the effect decreases with the distance, the appreciation is still reduced by a quarter at a distance of 2.5 km. The precise nature of the effects at a particular location depends on other factors, which cannot be accurately documented on maps. For instance, the effect is assumed to be smaller in the less highly appreciated landscapes of the lower parts of the Netherlands (which are open and used for agriculture) and in landscapes that include many other man-made objects, like docklands and coastal industrial sites like the Maasvlakte. It is also influenced by the exact positioning of the objects with respect to existing landscape structures like large water bodies.

Many wind turbines visible in Flevoland, Groningen and Friesland, northern part of North-Holland and Zeeland

Under good visibility conditions wind turbines may be visible from distances up to 35 km, while under average visibility conditions, a 100 m wind turbine will be somewhat visible from 10 km. Although at this distance, they cover only a small part of the view, they draw attention to themselves by their shape, colour and movement, which make them stand out from the surroundings. Land-based wind turbines are somewhat visible to very clearly visible in over a fifth of the country. Many wind turbines can be seen in the province of Flevoland, the low-lying area of the provinces of Groningen and Friesland, the northern part of the province of North-Holland and the province of Zeeland. Not only have many turbines been constructed in these areas, but the areas are also characterised by a flat and open landscape.