Do solar farms cause visual pollution?
The visual impact of solar panels depends on individual opinions and the context in which they are installed. While some people may find solar panels visually unappealing, others view them as a symbol of sustainability and renewable energy.
The visual impact of a solar farm has a much less impact than a wind farm, where the consent of wind turbines is highly contentious. For this reason “the visual catchment area for a wind farm can be 20-30 kilometres or more, large solar sites in areas with flat topography have a much more contained viewing audience.”
Solar farms can be designed to minimise their visual impact through vegetation screening around the boundary of the solar farm. Through planting of natives, the biodiversity of the site can be improved.
