Investigations into the glare effect of PV systems near helipads and airports
March 2025 | Safety Assessment
In recent months, GfL has carried out several glare analyses regarding the reflection of sunlight on the surface of photovoltaic (PV) modules and brought them to a successful conclusion for our customers. The main focus of the investigations was on heliports, but aerodromes were also examined.The reflection calculation is carried out using the so-called backward ray tracing method, i.e. the calculation of the backward ray path from the observer's eye via the PV module to the apparent position of the sun. As a result, the calculation provided the critical sun position vectors in defined hazard scenarios. A comparison with the actual annual course of the sun's position is used to determine the annual duration of glare and the subjective extent of glare is estimated using other metrics (such as the angle between the sun and reflection as seen from the observer's eye).
Where recognised as necessary, proposals for risk mitigation measures were then developed to sufficiently reduce or even completely eliminate the duration of glare. In most cases, this is already possible by slightly adjusting the angle of inclination or the azimuth.
