August 7, 2005

Wind power not worth it

To the editor, Green Bay (Wisc.) Press Gazette:

The editorial of August 7, "Give windmills chance to prove their worth," makes the valid point that next to the pollution from fossil fuel plants, the noise and visual intrusion of wind turbines may seem minor. Indeed, most opponents to industrial wind turbines would agree.

What they point out, however, is that next to the insignificant contribution that wind power can make to our energy needs, the impact is disproportionately large and not worth it.

categories:  ,

August 5, 2005

The difference between theory and practice

According to the New Hampshire Public Interest Research Group, the "wind farm in Searsburg, Vermont, produces enough power for 2,000 Vermont homes" ("New Energy Solutions," www.nhpirg.org).

According to Green Mountain Power (GMP), Searsburg's average annual production has been around 11,000 MW-h for the last two years, and their average residential customer uses about 7.5 MW-h per year. Searsburg therefore produces power equivalent to that used by fewer than 1,500 Vermont homes.

After a facility is built, there's no longer any excuse for using sales projections. There's a record of actual performance. Of course, it seems to be invariably disappointing in the case of wind power, so naturally the advocates choose to ignore it.

And lest 1,500 homes sounds significant, remember that production does not necessarily correspond to actual need (so the homes are not using the power), and residential use is less than a third of GMP's load. (Residential use is a little more than a third of the total load nationally.) Searsburg's 11 200-foot-high towers, with all the roads and clearcutting and new transmission lines, produce less than 0.2% of Vermont's electricity. (Vermont has about 600,000 people.)

categories:  , , ,

Low-frequency vibrations from wind turbines

The previous post, "The noise of a wind turbine," noted the very loud figure of 105 dBA 415 feet from the Clipper 2.5-MW model. The "A" in the unit designates that the measurement is weighted to the normal range of human hearing. A more serious problem may be low-frequency noise and vibrations that aren't measured in the dBA scale but have a profoundly debilitating effect on many people.

As reported in the Telegraph (U.K.) (January 25, 2004), a doctor in England had noticed that many people who lived near a 16-turbine facility in --- were complaining of migraines and sleep problems. She made a survey and found that 13 of 14 people who lived within 1 mile of the turbines complained of increased headaches, and 10 reported sleep problems and anxiety that started with the installation of the wind power facility two years before. Other complaints included nausea, dizziness, palpitations, stress, and depression. She is currently conducting a more scientific study of the phenonemon.

Another doctor presented a paper to the Royal College of Practitioners about a "marked" increase in depression among people in a northern Wales village where three turbines were erected in 2002. She said the cause is low-frequency noise that is felt rather than heard.

There are many reports of people who get dizzy and nauseous while they work near wind facilities, and the symptoms disappear immediately upon their leaving the site. People also report that windows in their houses often shake from the low-frequency sound waves from wind turbines. It was noted by a frequent visitor to Backbone Mountain in West Virginia that after the wind turbines went up, there was no longer any sign of wildlife where before it was teeming. That writer also noted, "the noise was incredible. ... It sounded like airplanes or helicopters. And it traveled. Sometimes, you could not hear the sound standing right under one, but you heard it 3,000 yards down the hill."

The Scotsman reported today ("Wind-farm noise rules 'dated'," August 5, 2005) that a study of the Dunlaw wind facility (26 660-KW turbines), which began operating in June 2000, found that infrasound and low-frequency vibrations as the turbines started to turn in low wind could be detected 10 km (6.2 miles) away.

categories:  , , ,

August 4, 2005

The noise of a wind turbine

The Clipper "Liberty" is a new 2.5-MW wind turbine model. The company has installed one as a test near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. In their environmental impact assessment submitted to the Department of Energy, Clipper notes that the noise level of the turbine in an 18-mph wind (8 m/s, well below its full operating speed) is 105 dBA 415 feet away. This is about the same as given for the Vestas V80 1.8-MW turbine. Clipper's own discussion notes that 90 dBA is the level at which "constant exposure endangers hearing."

Concern was noted for the effect of such noise on raptor nests and sage grouse leks (mating areas).

The assessment also expected that 10 acres of land would be disturbed and compacted by the construction of this single 415-ft-high turbine, causing runoff, erosion, sedimentation in streams, loss of soil productivity, destruction of vegetation, loss of wildlife habitat and food, and increased poaching and harassment of wildlife (presumably because of the new road).

During construction, the impact to pronghorn deer, mule deer, and elk was considered to extend a half-mile farther, displacing them from a total of 503 acres.

categories:  , , ,

Quote for the day

Evidence is ubiquitous suspicion is pervasive fantasy hardens reality seeps away.

-- Out->, Ronald Sukenick, 1973
(available at www.altx.com/out/0.html)

August 2, 2005

Wind turbine noise is a problem

A couple of news items pertaining to noise. From the Manawatu (N.Z.) Standard, "Meridian pays family to move" (August 2, 2005):
Meridian Energy has paid an undisclosed sum of money to shift a family from their farm where Te Apiti's wind turbines are located, because noise and vibration made it too difficult to live in their house. ...

eridian has also made a confidential deal with the other farm owners affected. [Company spokesman Alan] Seay said he understands this has involved building alterations, such as double-glazing windows to reduce noise. ...

Last November, Ashhurst resident Colin Mahy complained that sun reflection flickering into his house from the Te Apiti turbines was "driving him mad". Meridian had told him to draw his curtains.
And from the Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa., "WInds of change aren't problem" (August 2, 2005):
... A hum, like a plane warming on an airport tarmac, falls across the fields of the township as the 43 windmills near Waymart turn -- some lazily, others at a faster pace.

It won't stay this quiet, said Gary Bates, who lives at the base of the ridge about 200 feet below the windmills. The wind shifts and comes down from Moosic Mountain each night at about 8:30. The hum becomes a louder whir that reverberates through the house he shares with his wife, Debbie. The land has been in her family since her great-grandparents.

The wind changes slightly as Mr. Bates speaks, and the hum grows louder. It sounds like a plane flying above the blanket of clouds, but the engine noise never dims.
categories:  , , ,

August 1, 2005

"German Results Cast Doubt on UK's Wind Farm Proposals"

The Independent (U.K.) reported Sunday that the German goal of generating 10% of their energy from renewable sources is being undermined by the very poor performance of industrial wind turbines.

Germany has about a third of the world's wind turbines, with a capacity of about 16,000 MW, which according to the salesmen should be providing 8% of their electricity. But two of the major utility companies, RWE and Eon, report average output of only 16% and below 12%, respectively. The national grid therefore allows wind facilities to count only 6% of their capacity as available to customers, because so much of the time wind power is produced when it is not needed.

That means that Germany's 16,000 MW of wind power looks to the grid more like 960 MW, producing less than 1.5% of their electricity.

categories:  , , ,