Post-construction visualisation of
the Horns Rev offshore wind farm
Post-construction visualisation During a 12-month period there will be a few days on which elevated offshore structures can be seen over the surface of the sea and over a long distance. However, these days represent a very limited number in relation to a full calendar year. Most of the time the weather conditions will contribute to minimising the visibility of the wind farm due to haze, clouds and reflections from the surface of the sea (e.g. mirages). On some days the wind farm may not be visible at all. The photos for the visualisation of the wind farm were taken on days of optimum weather conditions to show the wind farm at the highest possible visibility over a long distance. On these photos the wind turbines are shown with the rotor facing the camera. From the chosen viewpoint the wind farm is shown at the widest possible visual angle. The two photos below are visualisations; i.e. the photos were taken before the wind farm was built. The turbines have been added as graphic elements. Visualisations
Photos taken after the construction of the wind farm After the construction of the wind farm was completed, some photos were taken from the two viewpoints above – the same viewpoints as for the visualisation. The purpose was to show that the visualisation gave a correct and truthful picture of the visibility of the wind farm at the two closest points on the coast and to compare visualisation and photo. To check the height of the wind turbines, a computerized post-construction visualisation has been made of the two elements – visualisation and photo. The post-construction visualisation is made by using two photos taken by the same camera and from the same viewpoint. The photos were then developed and scanned. All procedures were done in one and the same way allowing for a direct comparison of the two photos. By means of the computerized post-construction visualisation it is proven that the height of the wind turbines corresponds in the visualisation exactly to the height of the wind turbines in the photo taken of the wind farm in operation. In the visualisation, however, the wind turbines tend to be more visible than in reality, especially the wind turbines at the longest distance from the viewpoint owing to the fact that the visualisation is made to show the 'worst case scenario.' Such a situation may arise on a day of extremely high visibility. In general, it may be concluded that the visualisation made before the construction of the wind farm gives a quite realistic impression of how the wind farm appears on a day of very high visibility. In real life the eye is capable of conceiving and focusing on an object over long distances. And this much more than what can be shown in print.
Photos
Conclusions 'The Horns Rev offshore wind farm has very few visual impacts on the maritime and coastal landscapes, taking into account the wind turbine heights shown in the visualisations. The coastal landscape at and around Blåvands Huk seems affected to a certain but not to a very high degree. The visual impact on the maritime landscape in general is considered minimum or even insignificant. The overall conclusion, then, is that the site chosen for the Horns Rev wind farm is ideal and without substantial visual impacts.' The above is still a precise and correct conclusion on the overall impression of the wind farm. The production of a total of 12 visualisations - showing the wind farm from different angles and at different distances - has resulted in a realistic and very truthful picture of how the Horns Rev wind farm presents itself in the maritime landscape today.
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