Resource Library Category: Impacts (103 items)
Also see NWW "costs/benefits" FAQ
Documents presented here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch. This resource library is provided to assist anyone wishing to research the issue of industrial wind power and the impacts of its development. The information should be evaluated by each reader to come to their own conclusions about the many areas of debate.
Identifying Ramp Events
Source: Freedman, Jeffrey, and Zack, John
Wind energy forecasters and utility operators are presented with a variety of meteorological phenomena that can affect power production and grid operations on varying temporal and spatial scales. In the short term (zero to six hours), these features can be difficult to forecast and can result in the grid operators’ inability to handle rapid changes in wind speed and direction.
These phenomena can also produce undesirable effects on the power grid, especially issues associated with ramp events. Although there is no universal definition of a ramp, a 20% reduction in wind power occurring over a 30-minute period would qualify as a ramp event for most purposes. Previous studies have identified several meteorological features responsible for ramp-up or ramp-down events.
Ongoing research and development, including the notable U.S. Department of Energy and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration–sponsored Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP), seeks to improve forecasts.
A variety of atmospheric conditions can produce large ramp events. The principal mechanisms responsible for most observed ramp events in regions with large distributions of existing or proposed wind farms include the following:
Frontal systems. These are density fronts or air-mass discontinuities associated with synoptic-scale systems, which is the spatial scale of high- and low-pressure systems ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilometers.
A fall/rise pressure couplet associated with these systems can result in a rapid wind-speed decrease, followed by an equally intense increase. For example, a rapid decrease in wind power production in clusters of wind farms in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) footprint was caused by a complex frontal system moving across the region.
As the front approached, power generation dropped precipitously as winds temporarily relaxed. This was followed by a rapid increase in wind speeds and a corresponding ramp-up in the aggregate capacity factor (CF).
Convection-induced outflow boundaries. Thunderstorm complexes, also known as mesoscale convective systems (MCS), are prevalent throughout the Plains states and Midwest from March to September. A common feature of an MCS is the generation of strong outflow boundaries that can move in any direction and at speeds frequently exceeding 25 m/s.
The frequency of these events varies considerably from year to year and region to region. Although gust fronts often lose strength rather quickly, they can initiate additional convection and subsequent gust fronts. Because individual convective elements and clusters of storms are small-scale phenomena, the short-term evolution of their temporal and spatial characteristics is difficult to forecast. A dense network of surface-based, remote-sensing instrumentation and sophisticated modeling techniques (such as those deployed in WFIP) is necessary to improve the forecast accuracy of these events, especially in the zero- to three-hour time scale characteristic of outflow boundaries and gust fronts.
Low-level jet (LLJ). This phenomenon occurs regularly throughout the year in most regions of the U.S., including in coastal waters. The most notable LLJ occurs in the southern Great Plains, where wind speeds can exceed 25 m/s. The height of the LLJ varies between about 50 meters and 400 meters but typically occurs at about 200 meters. A special concern introduced by LLJs is the large vertical shears that can occur across the turbine rotor plane.
In Figure 1, the LLJ is quite evident at 06:00 coordinated universal time, extending down to 50 meters above ground level. As with the forecasting of MCS, instrumentation with sufficient vertical and horizontal (less than 50 km) resolution is necessary to characterize the LLJ’s spatial extent.
Temporal distribution of ramp events. Ramp events can occur at any time of day. However, those produced by thunderstorm complexes tend to occur during the evening hours, while those associated with the LLJ usually peak after midnight. In contrast, the coastal LLJ tends to reach its maximum during the late afternoon and early evening hours, when the land-sea temperature difference is at its greatest.
—from North American Windpower, May 2012
Wind Turbine Acoustic Pollution Assessment Requirements
Source: Waubra Foundation
On behalf of the many people around the world, suffering acute and chronic health damage from living near wind turbines, the Waubra Foundation demands that relevant authorities initiate:
- full frequency spectrum acoustic monitoring inside and outside the homes and workplaces of people claiming health problems caused by the proximity of operating wind turbines;
- the monitoring must be conducted for sufficient time, under the weather and wind conditions indicated by victims as being contributive to their symptoms;
- measurements must specifically include, infrasound and low frequency noise, (dBZ or dBLin, dBA, dBC, & dBG).
The noise monitoring must be performed by accredited acousticians demonstrably independent of the wind industry, approved by the sufferers, and in a manner that will avoid any deliberate manipulation of turbine operation to reduce the acoustic emissions during testing. The results (including all the raw data and associated sound files) must be made available to all parties.
The Rationale for These Demands
- Most health practitioners are well aware of the links between chronic severe sleep deprivation (1) chronic stress (2) and poor physical and mental health. This is exactly what residents living near wind turbines are experiencing, (3) together with other specific symptoms directly correlating with acute exposure to this sound energy (4,5,6,7).
- Knowledge of the damage to health from exposure to infrasound (8) and low frequency noise (9) (ILFN) has been known for many years. Despite this, little is known about the current exposure levels of residents to ILFN emissions from wind turbines inside their homes.
- The link between chronic exposure to low frequency noise and chronic physiological stress, even when asleep, was clearly highlighted by Professor Leventhall et al in 2003 (10).
- Most medical practitioners have been unaware of the problems associated with exposure to ILFN. This ignorance has not been helped by acousticians and others calling such problems “annoyance” without accurate clinical diagnoses (11).
- These symptoms have been reported to occur specifically with exposure to operating wind turbines by medical practitioners since 2003 (12,13,14,15,16,17). Symptoms have been reported by acousticians, health practitioners and residents from countries including Denmark, Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, France, United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
- Symptoms have been reported historically up to 4km from the nearest wind turbine, and more recently characteristic symptom patterns have been reported at distances up 10km away from the nearest wind turbine (18). This is described especially with larger wind turbines (eg 3MW), and on occasions even further away, where turbines are sited at altitude (19) or near expanses of water.
- These health problems consistently worsen over time, until the exposure ceases. Families are being advised by their treating doctors to leave their homes in order to regain their health. Many have nowhere else to go, and cannot sell their homes, so they become homeless “wind farm refugees”. Others remain trapped, unable to move (20).
- Professors Moller and Pedersen, from the University of Aalborg in Denmark, have confirmed that larger more powerful wind turbines emit more low frequency sound waves as a proportion of their sound emissions (21). These emissions are known to easily penetrate through the walls, roofs, and windows of homes and workplaces, due to the lower transmission loss of low frequencies.
- Recent acoustic survey work in the USA (Falmouth) (22) and Australia (NSW) (23) has confirmed that low frequency noise and pulsatile infrasound emitted by wind turbines have been measured inside the homes and workplaces of sick people, and occur when they are experiencing the symptoms of Wind Turbine Syndrome.
- Currently governments around the world do not require measurement of the full sound and vibration spectrum, do not require measurement inside homes and workplaces, do not require evaluation of sleep or other disturbances, but instead limit almost all assessment to audible noise (dBA) only, outside homes and workplaces.
Summary
The plight of people made ill by wind turbine acoustic pollution has been universally ignored by their respective governments.
The current noise assessment practices and standards are incompetent and unacceptable, and must be changed to include full spectrum acoustic monitoring inside homes and workplaces as a matter of urgency.
References
1. Capuccio F et al, “Sleep duration predicts cardiovascular outcomes:a systemic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies” European Heart Journal, 2011, 32:1484-1492
2. McEwen, Bruce, “Protective and Damaging Effects of Stress Mediators” NEJM 1998, 338:171-179
3. Shepherd, Daniel et al, “Evaluating the impact of wind turbine noise on health-related quality of life” Noise & Health, September-October 2011, 13:54,333-9 www.wind-watch.org/documents/evaluating-the-impact-of-wind-turbine-noise-on-health-related-quality-of-life
4. Pierpont, Dr Nina, “Wind Turbine Syndrome, A Report on a Natural Experiment” Published by K Selected Books, Santa Fe NM 2009 www.windturbinesyndrome.com see also www.wind-watch.org/documents/wind-turbine-syndrome-excerpts-from-the-executive-summary
5. McMurtry, Professor Robert, “Toward a Case Definition of Adverse Health Effects in the Environs of Industrial Wind Turbines: Facilitating a Clinical Diagnosis” Bulletin of Science Technology and Society 2011 31:316 http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/316
6. Phillips, Prof Carl V, “Properly interpreting the epidemiological evidence about the health effects of industrial wind turbines on nearby residents” Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society vol 31 No 4 (August 2011) pp 303–315 http://www.wind-watch.org/documents/properly-interpreting-the-epidemiologic-evidence-about-the-health-effects-of-industrial-wind-turbines-on-nearby-residents/
7. Leventhall, Benton & Pelmear, May 2003, A report for DEFRA “A review of published Research on Low Frequency Noise and its Effects” http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/noise/research/lowfrequency/
8. NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences), November 2001, “Infrasound Brief Review of Toxicological Literature”
9. Leventhall, Benton & Pelmear, May 2003 op cit
10. Leventhall, Benton & Pelmear, May 2003 op cit Section 10
11. Pederson & Waye, “Perception and Annoyance due to wind turbine noise – a dose-response relationship” in J Acoustical Society America 116 (6) 2004 pp 3460-70
12. Harry, Dr Amanda, “Wind turbines, Noise and Health” 2007 www.wind-watch.org/documents/wind-turbines-noise-and-health
13. Iser, Dr David, personal communication
14. Pierpont, Dr Nina, “Wind Turbine Syndrome, A Report on a Natural Experiment” Published by K Selected Books, Santa Fe NM 2009 www.windturbinesyndrome.com
15. McMurtry, Professor Robert, “Toward a Case Definition of Adverse Health Effects in the Environs of Industrial Wind Turbines: Facilitating a Clinical Diagnosis” Bulletin of Science Technology and Society 2011 31:316 http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/316
16. Hanning C & Evans A, BMJ 2012:344e1527 www.wind-watch.org/documents/wind-turbine-noise-editorial
17. Laurie, Dr Sarah, Medical Director, Waubra Foundation, Submission to the Australian Federal Senate Inquiry into Rural wind Farms, February 2011, accessible via www.waubrafoundation.com.au
18. Waubra Foundation Submission to the NSW Department of Planning, March 2012, at www.wind-watch.org/documents/response-to-nsw-planning-department-draft-guidelines-for-wind-developments
19. Personal communication, Hubert De Bonneville, see also www.windturbinesyndrome.com/2012/french-writer-going-nuts-from-wind-turbines-france
20. www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/09/letter-to-australian-prime-minister-from-dr-sarah-laurie
21. Moller & Pedersen “Low Frequency Noise from Large Turbines” J Acoustical Society America 2011 129:3727–3744 www.wind-watch.org/documents/low-frequency-noise-from-large-wind-turbines-2
22. Ambrose, Stephen & Rand, Robert “Bruce McPherson Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Study” 2011 www.wind-watch.org/documents/bruce- mcpherson-infrasound-and-low-frequency-noise-study
23. Cooper, Steven “Review of Draft NSW Guidelines” March 2012 www.wind-watch.org/documents/review-of-nsw-draft-wind-farm-guidelines
The Waubra Foundation
11th May, 2012
Download original document: “Wind Turbine Acoustic Pollution Assessment Requirements”
‘Detrimental Amenity Effects’
Source: South Gippsland Shire Council
South Gippsland Shire Council
Minutes, 7 November 2007
Mirboo North
C.8 BUFFALO WARATAH ROAD, TARWIN LOWER (LOT 1 ON TP805426P) – SUBDIVISION (REFERENCE: 2006/151) [pp. 34-39] …
MOVED: Cr Newton
SECONDED: Cr Hutchinson-Brooks
THAT NOTIFIES THE VICTORIAN CIVIL AND COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL THAT IT OFFERS NO OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION OF THE LAND INTO 4 LOTS, AT BUFFALO WARATAH ROAD, TARWIN LOWER (LOT 1 ON TP805426P) SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: …
2. PRIOR TO THE ISSUE OF A STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE AN AGREEMENT UNDER SECTION 173 OF THE PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT ACT 1987 MUST BE ENTERED INTO WITH THE OWNER OF EACH LOT CREATED WHICH ENSURES THAT ALL FUTURE LAND OWNERS ARE ADVISED THAT THE LOTS HEREBY APPROVED ARE LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FUTURE ‘BALD HILLS’ WIND ENERGY FACILITY AND AS SUCH, RESIDENTS ON THE LOTS MAY EXPERIENCE DETRIMENTAL AMENITY EFFECTS ARISING FROM THE FACILITY SUCH AS NOISE, BLADE GLINT AND BLADE FLICKER.
… CARRIED
[NWW Note. This council acted here on the basis of their experience with the nearby Toora facility. The Bald Hills wind energy facility has yet to be built. It was delayed by the presence of the threatened orange-bellied parrot and other species (a problem that remains despite planning approval). If it is not erected this year (2012), it will be subject to new rules in Victoria specifying a minimum 2 km (1.24 mi) distance from homes and 5 km from the coast, both of which conditions the site violates.]
Download original document: “South Gippsland Shire Council Minutes Nov. 7, 2007″
Download May 4, 2012, letter from Andrew Chapman to owner Mitsui regarding the Bald Hills project
Impacts of wind farms on land surface temperature
Source: Zhou, Liming; Tian, Yuhong; Baidya Roy, Somnath; Thorncroft, Chris; Bosart, Lance; and Hu, Yuanlong
[abstract] The wind industry in the United States has experienced a remarkably rapid expansion of capacity in recent years and this fast growth is expected to continue in the future. While converting wind’s kinetic energy into electricity, wind turbines modify surface–atmosphere exchanges and the transfer of energy, momentum, mass and moisture within the atmosphere. These changes, if spatially large enough, may have noticeable impacts on local to regional weather and climate. Here we present observational evidence for such impacts based on analyses of satellite data for the period of 2003–2011 over a region in west-central Texas, where four of the world’s largest wind farms are located. Our results show a significant warming trend of up to 0.72 °C per decade, particularly at night-time, over wind farms relative to nearby non–wind-farm regions. We attribute this warming primarily to wind farms as its spatial pattern and magnitude couples very well with the geographic distribution of wind turbines.
Nature Climate Change (2012) doi:10.1038/nclimate1505
Published online 29 April 2012
Liming Zhou
Chris Thorncroft
Lance F. Bosart
Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
Yuhong Tian
I.M. Systems Group, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service/Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Camp Springs, Maryland
Somnath Baidya Roy
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
Yuanlong Hu
Terra-Gen Power, San Diego, California
