Potential New Guidance on Solar Glare Near Aerodromes in Asia/Pacific Regions

Pager Power has developed glint and glare guidance which outlines a standardised methodology for PV developers, planners and stakeholders to follow, adding clarity to a previously unfamiliar planning issue. The guidance is now in its fourth edition, and a fifth edition is expected to be released in the next year. Pager Power’s guidance is the most comprehensive guidance document published worldwide on glint and glare and is backed by unparalleled assessment experience. We are continually drawing from our experience in order to refine and improve the methodology to ensure that stakeholders’ and clients’ concerns are always understood and assessed appropriately.

Work is under way in the Asia-Pacific region on new guidance for assessing and managing glare from solar panels near airports. The guidance would be developed by a Small Working Group (SWG) led by Malaysia, also including the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India. Singapore have also been invited to contribute. The roadmap targets finalisation of the regional guidance in the final quarter of 2026. The aim of the regional guidance is to give States and aerodrome operators a clear framework to assess, mitigate and manage the risks of glare and glint from solar panels. 

What is the Asia/Pacific Aerodrome Design and Operations Task Force?

The Asia/Pacific Aerodrome Design and Operations Task Force (AP-ADO/TF) is a regional technical body established under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia and Pacific (APAC) Office. Its purpose is to achieve specific tasks set by the Aerodrome Operations and Planning Sub-group (AOP/SG) of the Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG). In August 2026, a proposal was put forward to transition the Task Force into a permanent body named the Asia/Pacific Aerodrome Design and Operations Working Group (AP-ADO/WG).

How Did This Come About?

At the Sixth Meeting of the AP-ADO/TF, the growing concern on the operational impact of glare and glint resulting from the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at airport terminal buildings or in the vicinity of aerodromes was discussed. In response to this concern, the Task Force agreed to establish a SWG to develop regional guidance for the assessment and mitigation of glare and glint from solar panel installations. 

Latest News

The latest update on this was from the Seventh Meeting of the AP-ADO/TF in February of this year. Malaysia has taken an active role, engaging local and regional solar stakeholders and consulting working group member States in the first quarter of 2026 to align technical expectations and identify preliminary concerns.

The working group’s roadmap provides for a first draft of the guidance to be circulated to member States in Q3 2026, with the final guidance presented at the task force’s eighth meeting in Q4 2026. At the time of writing, details of any first draft are not publicly available. 

The issue has been raised at a global level before. At ICAO’s Fourteenth Air Navigation Conference in 2024, the Republic of Korea recommended that ICAO develop international policies and best practices for managing glare hazards, citing solar panels among the growing sources near aerodromes. 

Closing Thoughts

The regional effort comes at a time when national approaches to glint and glare assessment can vary widely. In the UK, there is no formal planning guidance for assessing solar reflections from solar panels. The Asia-Pacific document will be guidance rather than a binding standard, and Pager Power will be interested to review the first draft of the guidance when it is ready.

About Pager Power

Pager Power has strong experience in assessing glint and glare generated by solar power plants and can help developers to determine the impact upon nearby receptors such as: nearby road users, residential amenity, aviation activity and railway infrastructure. 

For more information about what we do, please get in touch.

References

Image accreditation: Kindel Media (Oct 2021) from Pexels.com. Last accessed on 27 October 2026. Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photography-of-solar-farm-9800010/