Wind Turbines 'Are Ruining Our Quality Of Life' (UK)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-16-1007 | Martin Beckford

[blam]

Wind turbines 'are ruining our quality of life'

By Martin Beckford
Last Updated: 1:15am BST 16/04/2007

The majority of people living near wind turbines believe that the noise they make is ruining their health and quality of life, a report has revealed.

Neighbours also claim that the constant hum and the loud "whooshing" sound made by the blades in high winds is destroying the value of their homes.

A survey of people whose homes are situated within 1.2 miles of turbines has shown that three-quarters of them feel that the noise has damaged their quality of life while four out of five say it has affected their health.

Those who said they were made ill by the sound of the wind farms, which are designed to benefit the environment, described conditions ranging from migraines and palpitations to depression.

Three quarters said their sleep was disturbed by the noise and some claimed that they had been forced to stay in bed and breakfasts to get a proper night's rest or to sell their homes at reduced prices to get away from the area.

One of the respondents to the survey, carried out by a family doctor, claimed that the noise was "like Chinese water torture", while others said they could "see no future" and "dare not sleep at home".

Dr Amanda Harry, a Plymouth GP who compiled the report after studying

the effects of wind turbine noise for several years, wrote: "What this shows is that there are a number of people suffering from the consequences of noise from the wind turbines.

"I'm sure that the cases mentioned here are the tip of the iceberg and further independent investigation is warranted.

There is much concern within communities that if one is seen to complain about the noise and if they decide to move away, their properties will be difficult to sell and possibly devalued as a result. They feel they are in a 'Catch-22' situation."

Some wind farms are situated just a few hundred yards from homes but Dr Harry believes that until independent research is carried out, no turbines should be built closer than 1.5 miles from the nearest dwelling.

Dr Harry wrote: "There are many people living near wind turbines who are suffering from problems with their health. The noise produced from the wind turbines is an extremely complex one and I feel that it is the complexity of the noise and vibration which causes the disturbance.

"From my discussions with people suffering from ill-health who live near wind farms, it seems that the symptoms suffered can occur up to a mile from the wind farm."

But a spokesman for the British Wind Energy Association said it was just a "myth" that turbines were noisy. She said: "We are aware that people have concerns but we are not aware of any evidence that supports their claims.

"The unfortunate thing about noise is that it can be a subjective perception. Some people can be more sensitive than others."

The Government commissioned a report into claims that the low-frequency noise emitted by wind turbine generators was affecting people's health but it found last year that there was "no evidence" of ill-effects.

The report did admit that some wind turbines were responsible for a loud "whooshing" noise created by a phenomenon known as aerodynamic modulation, but the Department for Trade and Industry insisted that this was present in only five of the 126 wind farms in the UK.

A Government working group on wind turbine noise has also been set up.

[Zeroisanumber]

Bah. I lived near an interstate for years, you get used to the white noise after a while.

[steve86]

Two weeks ago I stood directly under a three blade, two-hundred foot turbine in approximately 35-40 mph winds (had to sneak in to the site, although they don’t try very hard to keep out trespassers). My main impressions was that, although you can hear a low-frequency “whoosing”, it is certainly not loud by any stretch of the imagination. The wind around me was almost louder, although of different frequencies. Although I was alone, I would think a person’s normal speaking voice (for standing in the wind on a hill) would be louder than the turbines. My other impression is that it is scary looking at the blades come down toward you at about 150 mph. I didn’t stand right under the blade's path for very long, because I suppose something could be thrown off them at that speed as well, although I saw no dead birds around the base, or anything else unusual on the ground.

[steve86]

Meant “whooshing”.

The maximum permissible speed of the rotor tips on this series of turbines is 183 MPH. Feathering and braking will limit the speed to that. There is a huge disk brake in the nacelle behind the rotors. There is also a very long ladder to the top of the pylon that runs up the inside.

[WireAndWood]

The left will simply not stop tearing down until we’re all back in the stone ages.

Well no, not even then, because the making of stone tools will upset the environment ...

[alnitak]

I have also stood next to a turbine, though in more moderate winds. The only notable noise was a slight “whump” as the blade passes the tower. Not objectionable at all.

When you add up the noise from traffic, planes, trains (which can be heard for miles in the evening) and birds (****** magpies!), car stereos, parties, etc. the UK is not a quiet place. I doubt that wind turbines are making any noticeable difference.

[Stoat]

Related thread, crosslinked

Brussels demands thousands more wind turbines across the UK

[Razz Barry]

Liberals are lost. They whine about the lack of alternative power sources, then after you provide them, they whine about them....I wish I had a magic wand I could wave and make them all disappear from the face of the earth. It would be such a nice place then.

I wish you had one too. It'd be nice to enjoy safe, clean streets and schools. We'd have no welfare and could close 75% of the prisons. Look at the billions we'd save on AIDS alone.