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Solar Panel Farm8

Solar Glint and Glare Assessments

Why assess Glint and Glare?

Glint and Glare is the momentary or prolonged reflection of sunlight from a flat surface, such as glass, water or any other shiny surface.

For many of these projects, when the installation is close to receptors such as an airport or aerodrome, overlooked by residential houses or close to rail, national or regional road transport links, a glint and glare analysis report is advisable for planning applications. This can help to ensure that planning approval is not delayed. For solar photovoltaic farms, an analysis of the visual impact on the landscape and the potential for glint and glare hazard to neighbouring residences is generally required.

LINT can prepare these analysis reports for your Solar PV project, offering a rapid turnaround and a professional report with high quality mapping and analysis. Further detail about the various receptor types and their characteristics can be found below.

For more information on our services or to request a quote, please contact us via email on info@lint.ie or via the form at the bottom of the page (here).

Aviation Receptors

Aircraft pilots and Air Traffic Control operators need to be able to see in order to fully ensure that they can operate safely. Ocular hazard due to glint and glare has the potential to dazzle or temporarily blind, and for this reason, it is often the case that a glint and glare assessment must be carried out for solar photovoltaic installations near to a runway or airport.

This is despite the fact that solar panels have relatively low reflectance, much lower than water or greenhouse glass. Generally, the guidance from the US Federal Aviation Administration is used when assessing the potential for hazardous glint and glare that might effect aviation receptors. some background material on this subject can be found at the links below;

Residential Receptors

For large-scale or commercial solar photovoltaic installations, planning permission is generally conditioned on an analysis of the glint and glare hazard to neighbouring residences, and also the general visibility of the development within the landscape. Determining the locations which can theoretically experience unacceptable glint or glare is the first stage, after which a screening analysis is performed to examine whether there is any physical screening between the source and the receptor. The time periods and durations of glint / glare occurence is also identified and assessed as to how much of a disturbance it might cause to someone in a nearby residence.  

Road Receptors

For large-scale solar photovoltaic developments within a1 km of motorway, national or regional roads, it is quite common that a glint and glare study be conditioned for planning permission. This is to ensure that no hazardous glare is experience by drivers while transitting the road network adjacent to the photovoltaic arrays.

Rail Receptors

For large-scale solar photovoltaic developments within a1 km of a railway, it is quite common that a glint and glare study be conditioned for planning permission. This is to ensure that no hazardous glare is experience by locomotive drivers while transitting the rail network adjacent to the photovoltaic arrays.

3d Modelling and Analysis Services

LINT have several years of experience of completing Solar Photovoltaic Glint and Glare Assesments across

  • commercial-scale PV projects

  • multi-occupancy residential PV projects

  • industrial or commercial building PV projects

and can deliver detailed reports that meet all standards required for planning application purposes. Reports can be customised to the project under analysis with examination of potential glint and glare hazard to aviation, rail, road and residential receptors.

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Furthermore, our slilled team of analysts can deliver a 3d model and forensically determine whether or not a development could pose any glint or glare hazard or nuisance.

00 353 86 1775519

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