Coupled wind farm layout and visual impact optimization together with socio-technical theory: A mixed-method approach.
Abstract
As wind power becomes a cornerstone of the global energy transition, local opposition rooted in visual disturbance remains a significant barrier to project implementation. This thesis addresses this challenge by framing nearshore wind farm layout optimization in Denmark, as a socio-technical problem, integrating technical efficiency with social acceptance. Using a mixedmethod approach, qualitative insights from interviews and questionnaires in the Køge Bugt municipalities were synthesized and incorporated in a workflow using windPRO, Adobe Photoshop and an optimization model based on TOPFARM in Python. The framework specifically evaluates irregular turbine layouts, seeking an optimum between the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) and Visual Impact (VI) using a trade-off factor λ between 0.0 and 1.0. Applied to the Aflandshage wind farm case study, the study demonstrated that while the gradient-based solver is sensitive to initial layout configurations, the framework serves as an effective decision-support tool. It successfully identified two high-performing configurations: one at 51.1 EUR/MWh with a VI score of 2.1 (λ = 0.6), and an alternative at 52.2 EUR/MWh with a superior VI score of 2.0 (λ = 0.7). These results demonstrate that data-driven aesthetic considerations can maintain economic viability while fostering community trust, by shifting the role of the citizen from a passive recipient of information to an active contributor to the design process. Based on interviews conducted with wind farm developers and theory on social acceptance, recommendations are proposed on how developers can adopt proactive engagement practices that extend beyond legal requirements to ensure higher levels of public acceptance. While the methodology is scalable, the study concludes that successful future implementation relies on adapting the framework to the unique geographic and cultural nuances of specific local contexts.
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Madsen, Anton Rohlin; Mwiseneza, Alain. (2026). Coupled wind farm layout and visual impact optimization together with socio-technical theory: A mixed-method approach.
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