New Guideline for Solar Glare Assessment in Austria
November 1st, 2016 - OVE (the Austrian electrical engineering association) has published a new guideline titled Solar Glare from Photovoltaic Installations on its homepage. The new regulation OVE R11-3 is available for download since the beginning of November 2016 via this Link.
The guideline helps to assess immissions of light from PV-plants and defines clear limits for which kind of glint and glare is substantial in a solar glare assessment. Next to the required protection of neighbours it deals with the glaring hazard on road-, train- and air-traffic in order to avoid or reduce imminent dangers and substantial nuisances by immissions of light from PV-panels. The guideline can be applied in advance for planned PV-plants as well as in case of neighbours appeal against existing installations.
Solar Glare Assessment in Bavaria verifies glaring hazard for Deutsche Bahn
The department for city-planning and -development Landshut / Germany asked for a Solar Glare Assessment according to the Notes about Measuring, Assessment and Reduction of Immissions of Light (Hinweise zur Messung, Beurteilung und Minderung von Lichtimmissionen) - LAI-2012. The authorities saw the potential that the railroads passing by north of the PV park could face a glaring hazard when travelling east or west of the plant. Additionally, it had to be verified, if the neighbouring land parcels (for which a housing development is on the way) would be subject to a glare nuisance.
The Glint and Glare Assessment for Solar-Thermal plants shows potential for improvements
Solar-Thermal plants differ from photovoltaic plants in several ways...
Measuring the Glint and Glare - Simulation versus Reality
In the context of a Solar Glare Assessment we had a chance to investigate the glaring effect of an existing roof-top PV plant in detail and measure the glare at several points of interest. The duration and the effect of the reflections were compared with simulation results. The glare duration, direction and the spatial angle of the reflections in the simulations were exactly in accordance with reality as documented in the video below.
Lighting measurement in the course of a plant licensing permit
August 2016 - The lighting of work places is regulated according to BS EN 12464-1. A verification according to this norm was required in the context of a plant licensing permit.