Wind Turbines and Noise

From interestingenergyfacts.blogspot.com

Saturday, December 12, 2009
Noise from wind turbines - Big problem in U.K.
Wind energy definitely has more advantages than disadvantages but as one of the main problems with win energy installations could be the noise coming from wind turbines. The U.K. Government has for instance asked for local authorities to urgently update the guidance and the impact of noise from wind turbines, campaigners.

Wind turbines, as wind energy sector is developing, are becoming larger and larger, and the larger wind turbines are the more noise they make and this affect not only the people but the wildlife living nearby.

The environmental groups in UK wants for government to do something about this noise issue, while on the other hand UK's government is saying there is continuing research into the impact of noise, and how local authorities are already dealing with this issue.

Some environmental experts say the government guidelines on acceptable noise levels for wind turbines were due for revision 11 years ago and there has been little sign that changes in wind turbine technology is reflected in these rules because at that time wind turbines were much smaller than they are today.

This old guidance was designed for structures of about 90ft (27m) in height, but some applications for wind farms include turbines that are at least three times higher so they are really not acceptable for current size of wind turbines.


Some government officials have stated that the ground effects such as rustling of the leaves can mask this noise from wind turbines but environmentalists believe that these noises make such large noise that that any masking effect on the ground could be cancelled out, therefore they believe that the radical overhaul in design of wind turbines is needed to solve this problem.

Wind energy renewable sector is fast developing in almost all parts of the world, the questions like noise from wind turbines have to be solved very quickly. Wind energy in general has much more appealing effect on environment than fossil fuels do and is energy sector worthy of further development. Noise pollution problem definitely has to be sorted out as soon as possible because Britain is far behind other European countries in renewable energy use so such problems are really the last thing Britain needs today.

The noise pollution is definitely not that big deal like environmentalists say it is but even if is noise pollution is big as environmentalists say it is that still doesn't mean that Britain should abandon building wind turbines. What's the alternative to this? More coal fired power plants?