This document describes the development of a visual impact evaluation system called VIESORE for assessing proposed offshore renewable energy installations. The system uses 3D modeling software to generate photorealistic visualizations of installations from different viewing points and lighting conditions. Developers have successfully imported real-world GIS data on terrain, turbine locations and viewing points into the 3D software. Current results include visualization renderings of planned offshore energy projects. Remaining work involves improving the user interface and adding reporting functionality.

1. VIESORE
Visual Impact Evaluation System for
Offshore Renewable Energy
Chad Cooper, Jackson Cothren, Malcolm Williamson, Snow Winters
Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Robert Sullivan
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, Illinois

2. Offshore wind 101
• First offshore wind farm – Denmark 1991
• 2010 – 39 offshore farms off coasts of
UK, Europe, and Scandinavia
• Largest turbines now over 500 feet tall
• Power carried to land via transmission cable
• Wind energy contractors submit site proposals
to governing bodies
– Contractors provide photomontages

3. Offshore wind is coming...
www.capewind.org
Cape Wind
www.capewind.org

4. Offshore wind is coming...
www.capewind.org
Cape Wind
www.capewind.org

5. ...and so will the proposals
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
reviews all project proposals
• offshore oil and gas exploration
• offshore wind
• wave
• tidal flow
• ocean current
• environmental laws and regulations

6. Offshore wind 101 – Cape Wind
• Siemens SWT 3.6-107
– rotor diameter – 107m (351ft)
– total turbine height – 132m (433ft)
• 130 turbines arranged in a grid
• 12.5 miles of transmission cable
• anchored in seabed, out of shipping channels

8. BOEM system requirements
The system must:
• enable spatial design of offshore facility
• import geospatial data
• allow user control of atmospheric, lighting, wave
conditions
• generate spatially accurate and realistic visualizations
• output reports and images
• provide a user-friendly interface
It shall enable users to:
• evaluate photomontages in environmental impact
statements (EISs)
• independently assess proposed facilities

9. Approach
Photomontages www.capewind.org
Pros:
• realistic
• accepted
• accurate*
*dependent upon lens used
Cons:
• need photos from every potential point of interest
– oops, we didn’t take a photo from there!
• difficult to show different lighting/weather conditions
• human error

10. Approach
Photomontages www.capewind.org
Pros:
• realistic
• accepted
• accurate*
*dependent upon lens used
Cons:
• need photos from every potential point of interest
– oops, we didn’t take a photo from there!
• difficult to show different lighting/weather conditions
• lots of room for human error

11. Approach
3D visualizations
Pros:
• CAST does 3D
• photorealistic
• Vue Python API
Cons:
• user interface is scary
• learning curve
• you need horsepower

18. Approach
3D visualizations via
GIS interface
Pros:
• CAST does 3D
• photorealistic
• Vue Python API
Cons:
• user interface is scary
• learning curve
• you need horsepower, but affordable

19. Approach
3D visualizations via
GIS interface
Pros:
• CAST does 3D
• photorealistic
• Vue Python API
Cons:
• user interface is scary
• learning curve
• you need horsepower, but affordable

23. System design
ArcGIS 10.0 ArcGIS 10.0 Renders Reports
friendly interface Script tools
JPG
Videos
HMTL
SHP
Input data

24. System design
ArcGIS 10.0 ArcGIS 10.0 Renders Reports
friendly interface Script tools
JPG
Videos
HMTL
SHP
Input data

25. System design
ArcGIS 10.0 ArcGIS 10.0 Renders Reports
friendly interface Script tools
Log
JPG
Videos Log
HMTL
XML template XML
project
SHP .vue
Log
Input data .mat .atm

26. Development to date
• translate data for import into Vue
– digital elevation
– wind turbine generator (WTG) point locations
– key observation points (KOPs)
• import above data into Vue
• move objects around as needed, adjust size
• import 3D WTG model
• set camera and sun position
• render to jpeg

27. Development to date
• translate data for import into Vue
– digital elevation
– wind turbine (WTG) point locations
– key observation points (KOPs)
• import above data into Vue
• move objects around as needed, adjust size
• import 3D WTG model
• set camera and sun position
• render to jpeg

37. Current results
• Successful import of real-world GIS data into
Vue 3D software package for use in
visualizations

38. Current results
• Successful import of real-world GIS data into
Vue 3D software package for use in
visualizations
• Creation of photorealistic visualization
renderings of planned offshore renewable
energy installations

39. Current results
• Successful import of real-world GIS data into
Vue 3D software package for use in
visualizations
• Creation of photorealistic visualization
renderings of planned offshore renewable
energy installations
• User provided with friendly interface which
allows them to import data

41. Issues tackled
• Vue data formats
• Data translations galore
• Using real-world data in software that wasn’t
really made for it
• Coarse-grained Vue Python API makes you
come up with creative workarounds

42. Still to do
• User interface to Vue
– Toolbox designs and
linkage to Python
scripts
• ArcToolbox tools
• wxPython
• Report generation
– Python
• Help/documentation

43. Questions?
chad@cast.uark.edu
http://cast.uark.edu