When designing wind or solar parks, we tend to focus on the map: where should turbines or solar panels be placed? Yet a static map tells only half the story. The real experience of an energy park and the level of public acceptance is determined by the fourth dimension: time.
Time dictates the sun’s position. It never stands still, but moves along a predictable path that shifts every minute, day, and season. This means a wind turbine casts a completely different shadow at 9:15 a.m. on an October morning than on a summer evening in July. The sun’s position shapes not only energy production, but also how people experience the park and its surroundings.
Precision in time and location is what makes or breaks your energy park design.
By adding ‘time’ as a parameter to your simulations, you reveal the true impact of sun position and shadow on the living environment. Technical precision then becomes the foundation for trust and public acceptance.
Static images versus dynamic reality
With EnergyPlanner, you can fast-forward time in your simulations. What does a resident experience on a sunny March morning beside a wind turbine? How do solar panel reflections shift under a low autumn sun?
These are the exact questions residents, municipalities, and project teams face during development and for good reason. The impact of a project isn’t defined by what you build alone, but by how it is seen and experienced. And that experience is shaped by the ever-changing reality of light.
Optimal landscape integration through data-driven precision
The sun’s position is constantly changing every hour, every day, and in every location. During the planning of wind and solar parks, this isn’t a minor detail but the foundation of professional visibility analysis. True landscape integration starts with a precise understanding of how light and shadow shape the environment.
What does the sun’s position directly influence?
Shadow flicker from wind turbines
Our software goes beyond calculating shadow impact with numbers and tables. With realistic shadow simulations, residents can see exactly when and for how long shadows pass over their property.
Reflections and glare from solar panels
How do nearby residents experience solar glare when the autumn sun is low in the sky? Questions like these are a crucial part of any visibility assessment.
Visibility of installations
How much an object stands out depends on its background and the way light falls. By accurately simulating the sun’s position, we can determine whether installations blend into the horizon or stand out sharply against the sky.
Visual contrast
How does a turbine or solar park blend into the landscape at different times of day? EnergyPlanner shows how lighting conditions determine whether an object fades into the clouds or forms a striking silhouette. This makes the difference between a ‘hard’ visual presence and a design that moves naturally with the landscape.
Effective community engagement and stakeholder management
Successful participation in energy projects ultimately depends on trust. And trust requires transparency. An energy park that looks perfectly acceptable in the afternoon can create a completely different experience in the early morning or during the winter months. Static images or technical reports simply can’t convey that reality.
By incorporating date, time, and sun position into visualizations with EnergyPlanner, you make the real impact tangible.
From resistance to support and faster decision-making
When people can see an interactive simulation for themselves for example, December 21 at 3:30 p.m. assumptions disappear and space for dialogue emerges. The result: greater trust and public support, less resistance, and faster decision-making for your project.
Practical applications
Seasonal shadow flicker simulations
Measuring impact on quality of life
Compliance checks against regulatory standards (ISO)
Clear explanations during community meetings
Curious what your project looks like at any moment of the day?
Request a demo and discover how EnergyPlanner helps you strengthen your community engagement and stakeholder management.