The Impact of Photovoltaic Applications on Urban Landscapes Based on Visual Q Methodology

Abstract

Abstract:In recent years, the installation of photovoltaic systems in China has increased steadily to gradually become large-scale, having a significant impact on the urban landscape. Research on this impact mostly focuses on visual impact and glare risk. However, differences in urban land use types may lead to differences in the impact of photovoltaic applications on the landscape. This study adapts visual Q methodology to assess the impact of photovoltaic applications on the landscape in urban areas. Landscape photographs of photovoltaic applications in different cities of China are collected and used during the concourse and Q sorting. The final Q sample is composed of 36 photographs of different photovoltaic materials at different levels of integration in six urban land use types. The P set is composed of 36 respondents, including experts and non-experts. In conclusion, environmental harmony, power generation, innovative design, installation height, and social benefits of photovoltaic systems are the main impacts of photovoltaic systems on urban landscapes. Photovoltaic systems in different urban land use types have different impacts on the landscape. The conclusions have policy implications for different urban land use types, which has significance for the construction of urban photovoltaic systems in the future.

Extending the View on Project Performance

“…The Q-methodology has already been applied in research on various aspects of project management (Cuppen et al 2016;Sohi et al 2019;Suprapto et al 2015) and on implementing sustainability in different contexts, including urban planning (Lu et al 2018;Silvius et al 2017). The Q-methodology appears to have potential in the context of project success factors, since the purpose of this study was to identify different subjective perspectives of the importance of the various success factors.…”

Aesthetic impact of solar energy systems

“…Some studies have taken this factor into account, although with some variations when applying it. For example, SES can be classified in three categories "non-integrated", "partially or semi-integrated" and "integrated" [27,43], although no explanation of the criteria used for this classification has been provided by these authors. Other researchers only differentiate BIPV installations [53].…”

“…In fact, if we aspire to normalize and promote the exploitation of solar energy, it would be fundamental to increase the acceptance of society, transferring indeed this awareness to everyday life [25]. In this sense, we must bear in mind that, in urban environments, the visual appearance of the installation plays a very important role in the end user's preferences [26,27]. Additionally, in rural settings, the perception of the photovoltaic plants has been shown to depend on the visual relationships established by the observers with its environment [7,20].…”

Creating Sustainable Photovoltaics for Smart Cities

“…Solar energy utilization occurs in the form of PV parks and PVs installed on building roofs and facades to create electrical power as well as in the form of solar thermal collectors to heat water and space (Sánchez-Pantoja et al, 2018). In accordance with these studies, solar energy generally is perceived as a green and sustainable energy source, although the level of the user's environmental concern must be taken into account (Lu et al, 2018;Zhai et al, 2012). In the field of architecture, aesthetic aspects are of utmost importance in designing.…”

“…(Zoellner et al, 2008). Especially in urban landscapes, a key decisive influence on the end consumer's preference is the visual appearance of the various options (Lu et al, 2018;Bao et al, 2017). Thus, it is necessary to bear in mind not only functional, but also aesthetic viewpoints when aiming to strengthen the use of PV.…”