Spanish method of visual impact evaluation in wind farms

The present Spanish laws on the procedure to evaluate the environmental impact of wind farms are ambiguous, especially those pertaining to visual impact. There is no specific national law but only regional laws. The main targets of these laws are the conservation of the environment (protected animals and plants), and the noise generated. The focus of this paper, the visual impact, is not taken into account in a direct way in these laws. This work develops a methodology to predict, before its construction, the visual impact that a wind farm can have. This could be used as a consulting tool to analyze and evaluate wind projects, both government-run and private. The developed methodology is quick, concise and clear. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.