The presence of solar energy systems has increased significantly in recent years both in rural areas –in the form of solar farms–, and in urban areas as part of building installations. This transformation of the landscape, in spite of the good social acceptance of solar energy, causes an aesthetic impact whose interest has been growing in literature in recent years. This study aimed to review prior literature in order to establish the objective factors, aesthetic perception and methods that are most relevant when assessing the aesthetic impact. As a result of the lack of consensus, a new qualitative methodological framework is proposed that can serve as a basis for future research in the field of the integration of solar energy and its aesthetic impact. The framework comprises three sub-impacts: land use, solar system energy and glare. The results are discussed for future research and innovation in building photovoltaic integration and for SES site location and its environmental impact assessments.

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Aesthetic impact of solar energy systems

A review of land use, visibility and public perception of renewable energy in the context of landscape impact

Environmental heterogeneity as a bridge between ecosystem service and visual quality objectives in management, planning and design

Abstract Although perceptions of landscape aesthetics are currently attracting great research interest, some aspects of the topic have remained almost unexamined. This review highlights some less studied areas that are of particular importance for landscape management, with special focus on rapidly growing exurban areas. While the visual quality of the environment is undoubtedly one of the drivers that has been spurring the exurban development of rural settlements, much remains unknown about the perception of the visual quality of these settlements. Another pressing issue is the need to determine general principles of consensus formation concerning visual landscape preferences. This study concludes that in order to preserve the rural character of exurban landscapes, there is an urgent need to identify the aesthetic values that define the character of rural settlements and their importance to the stakeholder groups.

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Rural identity and landscape aesthetics in exurbia: Some issues to resolve from a Central European perspective

Dynamics of development of the largest cities - Evidence from Poland

Solar photovoltaic power development has had various effects on the landscape, especially in rural areas, where the contrasts with other land uses are more striking. Landscape criteria are not normally taken into account in the planning and the design of these installations, and measures must therefore be taken to control and manage photovoltaic development in order to ensure that the quality of the landscape is preserved or even improved. In this case, one of the most effective landscape management tool is the integration of these installations into the landscape. In this chapter, we analyse the landscape features of these installations, and systematize their impacts on the landscape. We also offer various landscape integration proposals, as a kind of Good Practice Guide. Our case study focuses on the Andalusia region of southern Spain, where there has been very rapid development of photovoltaic power energy in recent years. We believe this is a representative case and that the results can be extrapolated to other areas in which a similar process is taking place.

The Production of Solar Photovoltaic Power and Its Landscape Dimension

Measurement of visual parameters of landscape using projections of photographs in GIS

Physical location factors of metropolitan and rural sprawl: Geostatistical analysis of three Mediterranean areas in Southern Spain

Favourable geographical conditions and firm governmental support have resulted in a strong growth of photovoltaic energy in Spain in the last decade, especially in the period 2007–2008. This has led to an important economic development of this industrial sector and the appearance of many effects in both rural and urban landscapes. Nevertheless, in the last years, the situation of the photovoltaic sector has changed noticeably, as the exponential growth of installations and the arrival of economic crisis have provoked the adoption of more restrictive laws, which have opened a period of stagnation and uncertainty. In contrast with other countries, in Spain, ground-mounted solar PV plants have predominated, transforming many rural environments. Some studies which address the impact of these systems and the social perception about them have appeared recently. They also suggest criteria in order to improve their integration in buildings and landscapes. In this chapter, an overview about the deployment of Spanish photovoltaic sector is offered, as well as about the factors which have caused its rise and fall and the consequences of these processes in the landscape.

Solar Photovoltaic Power in Spain

Informe tecnico que recoge la propuesta metodologica elaborada por investigadores del Departamento de Geografia de la Universidad de Malaga, asi como su aplicacion a la ciudad y provincia de Malaga, bajo la direccion de la Dra. Maria Jesus Perles Rosello y con la participacion en tareas de gestion de la Catedra de Seguridad, Emergencias y Catastrofes de la UMA. Se trata de un trabajo no financiado desarrollado de forma voluntaria en el contexto de la actual crisis epidemiologica (COVID-19).

Metodología para la elaboración de una cartografía de riesgo de covid19 en entornos urbanos. Fundamentos metodológicos y aplicación a la ciudad de Málaga y municipios de la provincia de Málaga

Matías Mérida-Rodríguez

Papers

The Production of Solar Photovoltaic Power and Its Landscape Dimension

Measurement of visual parameters of landscape using projections of photographs in GIS

Physical location factors of metropolitan and rural sprawl: Geostatistical analysis of three Mediterranean areas in Southern Spain

Solar Photovoltaic Power in Spain

Metodología para la elaboración de una cartografía de riesgo de covid19 en entornos urbanos. Fundamentos metodológicos y aplicación a la ciudad de Málaga y municipios de la provincia de Málaga