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Making solar PV viable at sensitive sites

Published in: Solar, Exclusive Articles, Industrial Insight

Making solar PV viable at sensitive sites image

Sites at airports, along transport corridors and in urban areas are increasingly being developed for solar power generation. The duration and intensity of disruptive reflections can determine whether a project is approved or rejected. A bio-inspired anti-glare film from Karlsruhe-based Phytonics GmbH makes sensitive sites usable for PV. A new car park at a Belgian airport demonstrates how this works on an industrial scale.

PV deployment in Europe is accelerating rapidly. This is intensifying conflicts over land use and competing interests. More and more PV systems are being installed on rooftops, on open land, near airports and alongside motorways. Most conventional solar modules reflect incoming light so strongly that they can cause glare for nearby residents, pilots and drivers, potentially compromising road and aviation safety.

In Germany, the Federal Highway Authority has therefore, for the first time, issued uniform requirements for glare assessments of PV systems along motorways. At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, glare from a nearby solar park led to temporary runway closures in 2025; a court later ordered the removal of part of the installation.

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