Coupled optimization of visual impact and LCOE of near-shore wind farms: Insights from a Danish case study
Abstract
The expansion of wind energy in Denmark has in recent years fallen short of expectations [1, 2], partly due to public opposition which is often rooted in concerns about visual impact (VI), particularly for nearshore wind farms [3]. This thesis presents a framework for optimizing wind farm layouts based on a coupled assessment of Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) and VI. Although VI is subjective, this study focuses on its quantification by creating a model that integrates turbine visibility analysis among other VI parameters. The model is applied to a Danish nearshore case study, the Lillebælt Syd wind farm [4], to explore how different layout configurations balance LCOE and VI, and to identify which turbine arrangements emerge as optimal under varying optimization priorities. The coupled optimization is implemented in the open-source TOPFARM framework. VI is quantified by combining turbine visibility with population data and survey-based weights, while LCOE is estimated using a predefined cost model and a power production calculator. A methodology is developed to optimize both LCOE and VI, while also enabling investigation of the trade-offs between the two. The VI optimization accounts for multiple viewpoints, and the importance assigned to each viewpoint is easily interchangeable within the model. The results of the case study show that pure VI optimization results in clustered and randomly seeming layouts when viewed from above, but the layouts appear more ordered when experienced from the viewpoints, with turbines aligned in rows to reduce VI. Although effective in minimizing VI, this approach generally results in significantly higher LCOE. Minimizing VI and LCOE simultaneously yields layouts that resemble those of pure LCOE optimization in terms of overall turbine spread. However, these layouts are more deliberately oriented towards viewpoints to reduce turbine visibility, achieving a balanced compromise between cost-efficiency and aesthetics. This work contributes to improved wind farm layout planning by integrating VI considerations and provides new insights into the scientific field of VI optimization.
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Laurberg, Emilie Lewis; Vejstrup, Adam. (2025). Coupled optimization of visual impact and LCOE of near-shore wind farms: Insights from a Danish case study.
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