Wind Turbine Visualisation

Although this page uses techniques already discussed on some of the preceeding visualisation pages, we consider that it merits its own space due to the particular characteristics of wind farms and turbines.

Apart from size and form, the single most obvious characteristic of wind turbines is the rotation of their blades. Static methods of representing turbines do not communicate this particular characteristic of continuous movement. Most windfarm visualisations are presented in print, for the purpose of EIA and Public Inquiry. However, computers and the Internet make new presentation methods possible and desirable, and in our view these methods should form part of the planning proces.

We have tested a number of methods of presenting wind farms using animation methods - please click on the links to the right to see examples of both static and animated visualisation.

We continue to refine these techniques and would be pleased to assist, if you require visualisation of wind farms or wind turbines.

Other areas of our site which may be of interest include: Photomontage, Landscape Assessment and Zones of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV).

Visualisation examples:

Turbine Photomontage

Turbine Photomontage

This was one of a series of three photomontages showing a preliminary proposal for a large turbine in East Hull, which was used to inform pre-application discussions. At the top is a panoramic view to show how the turbine relates to the wider area, and below is a full-frame view to more realistically convey the scale of the proposed turbine.

Cross-fading Photomontage

Cross-fading Photomontage before

Static photomontages can show a simple before-after effect. Arguably, the web allows us to show the transition more effectively, by allowing cross-fading to show the view with and without turbines - this is without...

Animated Wind Turbines

This shows the use of an animated photomontage to demonstrate the movement of the turbine blades. Note that the furthest turbine is partially hidden behind a tree, showing that multiple layers can be combined with animation to give genuine distance and partial view effects. This view would benefit from better perspective and depth effects to blend the turbines into the view, but as proof of concept, it works well.

Animated Wind Turbine 2

Using a rendered model looped into video, the turbine animation can include shadowing for greater realism.

Animated Fly-through

This video is based on the Aire & Calder windfarm (15 turbines) and was produced as 'proof of concept' to show an animated windfarm. It is esentially featureless apart from turbines and flat fields. A production version would require vegetation and settlements to be shown.

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