Download “Foxton Parish Council Investigation into the Proposed Gartree Wind Farm”

Wind turbines are large vibrating cylindrical towers, strongly coupled to the ground with massive concrete foundation, through which vibration are transmitted to the surrounding and with rotating turbine blades generating low-frequency acoustic signals which may couple acoustically into the ground. This may occur in several ways:

1. As a cantilever carrying the nacelle/blade mass, with frequencies typically less than 1Hz, depending on height of tower.
2. As a torsional oscillator at low frequencies.
3. As a complex distributed system at higher frequencies

Additionally, the blade-tower interaction is a source of pulses at a low repetition rate, which contain components in the infrasound region. The local and surrounding geology, especially layering, may play an important part in determining vibration transmission. Energy may propagate via complex paths including directly through the ground or principally through the air and then coupling locally into the ground …

Applied and Environmental Geophysics Research Group, Earth Sciences and Geography, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University

18 July 2005

Download “Microseismic and Infrasound Monitoring of Low Frequency Noise and Vibrations from Windfarms: Recommendations on the Siting of Windfarms in the Vicinity of Eskdalemuir, Scotland”

They always come across above the brick works and McCain factory.

This year they have now put up four wind turbines at the factory.

As I watched a flock of 100 plus geese come across they had to make a quick change of direction as they flew through the blades.

It was like they did not see that the blades were turning.

One of the birds was hit by the blade and still managed to fly another 500 yards or so before it landed in a field.

I went across to find it but due to the height of the vegetation I could not see it.

This made me wonder how many birds are being hit by these blades across the fens and are managing to fly on before dying a slow and painful death.

Thousands of birds fly across the fen each year, geese especially often fly by night.

PETER CARTER, 8-9 Church Terrace, Outwell

Fenland Citizen, 22 October 2008

What is the problem? Public faith in planning is being undermined … Mixed messages from central Government …

Are local communities being short-changed by goodwill payments? …

Do they benefit communities or bring planning into disrepute?

Download “Goodwill payments: Do they benefit communities or bring planning into disrepute?”

Download “Goodwill payments: Local cases”

Living with amplitude modulation, lower frequency emissions and sleep deprivation.

Abstract: Although wind energy has a role to play in the renewable energy sector, when wind turbines are sited too close to people’s homes, the noise pollution has dire consequences on those who live nearby. The authors, who live within 930 metres of the nearest wind turbine of a wind farm, document their personal experiences that underscore research findings on the adverse impact of wind turbine noise on human well-being, as well as present the results of sound data measured by acousticians at their home. The paper describes the nature of the noise — with its pulsating character, the vibrations felt by the body, and its intrusiveness, as well as the impact on their lives. The authors note that rural environments, which are attractive to the wind energy industry, are especially challenging because background noise is low or virtually non-existent, particularly at night. Yet current UK guidelines, set by the Government in 1997 with significant input by the wind energy industry, offer no respite to those who live near wind turbines or those communities analyzing current wind turbine applications from developers. The authors suggest that the wind energy industry would gain credence by acknowledging that there are gaps in the ability to predict with accuracy whether wind turbines will create noise pollution. Moreover, the industry could avoid the issue altogether by placing wind turbines further from homes. This solution would simultaneously contribute to the credibility of the wind energy industry while protecting the public’s health and their right to the amenities of their homes.

Download “Noise pollution from wind turbines”

Questions included:
Do you ride near wind turbines?
Are they near public rights of way?
Have you encountered any problems?
Location of respondent

Of the 116 responses, 19 people rode near turbines (16%)

16 people informed us the turbines were on, or very near a right of way, the remainder being on private land.

The main problems reported were:
Turbines casting shadows
Noise from turbines
Flying ice in winter
Movement of blades

All of the above upsetting the horse and often unseating the rider or causing them to fall

From the 19 respondents, 5 people have actually fallen off at least once, 3 of these required hospitalisation and 1 horse was unable to be ridden after the incident.

People who encountered no problems stated they were riding horses who were accustomed to the turbines or riding very steady older horses. They also acknowledged that they could understand how other people’s horses may be upset by the presence of a turbine and are aware of incidents occurring.

Lots of people also commented that they wouldn’t mind one turbine, however a whole farm of turbines may cause them to rethink their riding route.

In one particular instance, a report of over half the members of Haworth and Oxenhope riding club experiencing problems was reported, this being over 100 incidents.

Location of respondents:
1 incident in North East
5 incidents in Lancashire
1 incident in Cumbria
1 incident in West Yorkshire
1 incident in Cornwall
2 incidents in Wales

Lancashire: 1 unable to pass, 1 fall, 1 bolted, 2 distressed horses
Wales: 1 sudden stop and spin around, 1 bolted
West Yorkshire: 1 distressed horse but heard of many more riders having problems, over half the bridleway group
Cornwall: 1 distressed horse
Cumbria: 1 distressed horse
North East: 1 distressed horse due to noise

Respondents were also asked if the presence of turbines would deter them from taking their horse to a given place e.g an equestrian holiday. Of the 99 people who answered the question, 66 would not take their horse on holiday where there were turbines present (65%)

The main reasons were:
Their horse had never seen a turbine and they would be unsure of its reaction
Unnecessary risk
Scenery and views spoilt

Equestrian Business
This will have implications for many equestrian businesses including bed and breakfast establishments. In the areas where incidents were reported the British Horse Society has registered bed and breakfasts that cater for equestrians.

Bed and Breakfast Establishments –
County Durham and surrounding area: 7
Lancashire: 5
Cornwall: 5
West Yorkshire: 11
Cumbria: 6

One respondent commented that her clients have stopped coming due to the erection of turbines in the surrounding area.

Download “The British Horse Society Windfarm Consultation”

The following analysis outlines the system, and notes that while the RO is complicated, it is in some ways very simple. The issuing and trading of certificates involves numerous stages and parties, but the end result is that, at present, it offers equal rewards to technologies regardless of their intrinsic merits, where merit is understood in the context of the peculiar characteristics of the electricity supply industry. As a result, investors have tended to select technologies on the principle of “least capital cost first”. Initially this resulted in a bias towards Landfill Gas generation, which was, quite incidentally, a high merit technology. Opportunities for LFG are now all but exhausted, and developers are currently concentrating on the next most attractive qualifying ticket to the subsidy stream. This happens to be onshore wind, which is a low merit generator, as will be explained later.

It is important to emphasise, therefore, that those responsible for taking decisions within the planning system should not assume that incentivisation within the RO is an indicator of quality, or, though this may seem paradoxical, of the technology’s suitability for the purpose of meeting the aims of the UK’s renewable energy and climate change policy.

On the contrary, in our view, it is the planning system which bears the full burden of responsibility for determining the quality of the proposal, its suitability to realise the aims of policy, and balancing this in relation to local impact. …

Courtesy of the Renewable Energy Foundation

“UK Renewables Subsidies: A Simple Description and Commentary”

Readers should be aware that the BWEA is not an academic or philanthropic body looking after the interests of the Earth and the British people. It is a trade body with over 500 member companies, all of whom seek to make profits from renewables, especially wind farms. While there is nothing wrong with his, it does mean that the BWEA are not a neutral body and are, therefore, most likely to provide partial information that is most likely to further their members’ profits and interests rather than promote the truth.

Download “FELLS Rebuttal of BWEA’s ‘Top Myths About Wind Energy’”

Go to: “When the Wind Stops”

Download “Claimed and realistic carbon dioxide emissions savings and electricity generation”