Resource Library -- latest additions
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.
Review of NSW Draft Wind Farm Guidelines
Source: Acoustic Group
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In late 2011 The Acoustic Group performed a desk-top review of the acoustic documents comprising the acoustic assessment for the Flyers Creek Wind Farm and conducted preliminary sound monitoring at an existing operational wind farm (the Capital Wind Farm) which was approved in New South Wales on the basis of similar analyses, guidelines and reports to that provided for the Flyers Creek Wind Farm. The assessment found deficiencies and inadequate information in the acoustic assessment of the Flyers Creek proposal such that the true acoustic impact of the proposed wind farm had not been presented to the community.
In the intervening period a set of Draft Wind Farm Guidelines have been issued by the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (“the Department”) for public comment.
The Acoustic Group was requested by the Flyers Creek Wind Turbine Awareness Group to examine the Draft Wind Farm Guidelines with respect to acoustic issues. As there are no acoustic compliance reports for operational wind farms in NSW in the public domain, The Acoustic Group was also requested to conduct additional testing to assess the Draft Guidelines with respect to practical aspects of their application to operating wind farms.
The Draft Wind Farm Guidelines have identified that they closely follow the existing South Australian Guidelines in relation to the noise criteria. The problem for the broader community in comprehending the Guidelines is that from a noise perspective by definition, the Guidelines must be expressed in technical terms which are not readily understood by the community. The community therefore relies on the preparation by the Department of noise guidelines that set rigorous criteria and assessment procedures as well as a rigorous compliance regime. A reasonable person would expect that such Guidelines would be drawn from and based upon solid data and measurements. Despite the fact that the Department has had the opportunity to scrutinize data and undertake scientific investigations of operating wind farms for the purpose of the Draft Guidelines, it has not done so.
The Draft Wind Farm Guidelines set out measurement, assessment and compliance procedures which are likely to be unworkable in practice. This review highlights a number of outstanding issues in relation to noise impacts from wind farms that require the Draft Guidelines to be amended in order to safeguard the acoustic amenity of residents in areas where wind farms are proposed and where there has previously been no such noise source.
It is recommended that the proposed base criteria for wind farms be amended to 30 dB(A) when assessed under the worst case scenario. In particular, it is concluded:
- There is no material or reference in the Guidelines supporting the use of 40 dB(A) as an acceptable amenity level in rural NSW. Examination of the Department’s compliance review of the Capital Wind Farm confirms Leq levels when turbines are shut down which are significantly lower than 40dB(A) and which undermine this standard as an acceptable amenity.
- The Draft Wind Farm Guidelines ignore “Offensive Noise.” In so doing, the Guidelines set criteria which are inconsistent with the EPA’s Industrial Noise Policy. Examination of noise data from the Capital Wind Farm confirms that the current Draft Guidelines will permit noise significantly above background level i.e. offensive noise which is likely to interfere unreasonably with a person’s health, comfort or repose.
- The base limit for wind farms should be 30 dB(A) when assessed under the worst case scenario. Testing establishes that this limit would be consistent with EPA guidelines for the protection of acoustic amenity in rural areas.
- The Guidelines are vague and inconsistent in relation to the assessment of and measurement during temperature inversions. This undermines the efficacy of the noise criteria.
- The use of the A-weighting filter is not sufficient to account for the audibility and annoying characteristics of wind farm noise. This is demonstrated with data obtained from the Capital Wind Farm, Woodlawn Wind Farm and Cullerin Range wind Farm.
- The guidelines do not specifically require full spectrum noise monitoring inside residential properties. Data obtained demonstrates that such monitoring is essential to reflect noise impact and specific noise characteristics.
- The Guidelines require more detailed acoustic analysis at the proposal stage to identify the effects of different weather scenarios. These scenarios are typically required for industrial noise assessments and in their absence, proper compliance monitoring is impossible.
- The measurement procedure in relation to specific noise characteristics describes measurements conducted over a 10 minute period. This does not permit identification of these characteristics which are associated with swish, modulation, discrete tones and low frequency noise. This is demonstrated with analysis of data from operating wind farms. Criteria in relation to amplitude modulation are uncertain.
- Examination of data demonstrates that compliance monitoring can only be effective with the provision of permanent noise monitoring within the wind farm, recording noise levels, wind speed and direction at receiver locations and recording wind speed and direction at hub height. The Guidelines do not, but should, provide for such permanent noise monitoring supplemented with temporary remote monitoring in real time to deal with complaints.
- The provision of permanent noise monitoring data together with real time presentation of the wind speed and direction at the hub, the power output and operational status of individual turbines must be provided in the public domain to permit independent compliance testing. There is no provision for this in the Draft Guidelines.
- Compliance procedures are ineffective. The Guidelines do not provide a clear indication of what triggers non-compliance. The specified effects of non-compliance are vague. There are no provisions requiring a cessation of operations if the wind farm is not compliant.
Download original document: “Review of NSW Draft Wind Farm Guidelines”
Download Appendices (CV and data)
Critical Comments on the NSW Draft Wind Farm Guidelines
Source: Parkesbourne/Mummel Landscape Guardians
Concluding remarks
As the acoustic and medical research, necessary to determine accurately adequate setbacks, has not been completed, there should be an immediate moratorium on further wind farm development in NSW, and on the construction of wind farms approved, but not yet built. There must be a curfew on the night-time operation of existing wind farms, and the conditions of consent of those wind farms must be reviewed, as must the conditions of consent of wind farms, approved, but not yet built.
When the research is completed, and it is possible to determine a setback distance adequate to guarantee protection for neighbours against chronic annoyance and chronic sleep disturbance and other adverse health effects, then that setback distance must be imposed on all wind farm projects, past, present, and future. In accordance with that setback, turbines of future proposals must be prohibited within that distance. Turbines of proposals being assessed must be prohibited within that distance. Turbines of projects approved, but not yet built must be prohibited within that distance. Turbines of existing wind farms must be shut down, if they fall within that distance.
If the NSW Cabinet declines to institute a moratorium, and a research programme, then two setbacks should be immediately resolved upon: a general setback of at least 5 kilometres from any residence, whether urban or rural; a setback of 1 kilometre from any property boundary. There must be a proviso that these setbacks will be extended, if that is justified by further research. These setbacks must be imposed on all wind farms, existing, approved but not yet built, being assessed, and still to be proposed, so that the construction and/or operation of wind turbines within those setbacks shall be prohibited.
Download original document: “Critical Comments on the NSW Draft Wind Farm Guidelines”
Submission on Draft NSW Planning Guidelines – Wind Farms
Source: Watts, Alan; and Watts, Colleen
SUMMARY
The “Draft NSW Planning Guidelines – Wind Farms” is a discussion paper only. Its inherent poor quality ensures this.
An examination of this document reveals little rigour, contradictions, omissions and escape clauses which would easily allow circumvention of the embarrassingly absent regulatory authority this document should contain.
Close examination of this document reveals several reoccurring and alarming aspects:
- The obvious lack of due diligence by parties responsible for the authorship of this document. This ensures criticism of these guidelines by any reasoned analysis.
- The obvious bias contained to ensure swift success of industrial wind turbine developments.
These Guidelines were developed to overcome the legal deficiencies which became apparent in the SA 2003 Planning Guidelines (used by the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure) following the appeal in the SA Supreme Court of the Quinn-AGL matter (see Section 2 (iv)).
Surprisingly very little has changed:
- There is still insufficient protection for the non-host residents.
- Setback distances are inadequate.
- Health implications are largely ignored or treated very perfunctorily.
- Rights of appeal by objectors to any wind farm proposal are weak and are obscured by layers of bureaucracy.
- Any appeal process that is open to residents and prospective neighbours of proposals are skewed by inequities of finance, power and access to expert witnesses.
- There are too many opportunities for abuse of power, violation of natural justice, attacks on local democracy and citizens’ rights, inequality and bias.
Download original document: “Submission on Draft NSW Planning Guidelines – Wind Farms”
Wind Turbines: Parliamentary Debate, Australia
Source: Australia House of Representatives
Debate resumed on the motion by Mrs Moylan:
That this House:
(1) recognises the importance of clean energy generation technologies in Australia’s current and future energy mix;
(2) acknowledges the exponential growth of wind power across Australia;
(3) appreciates that prudent planning policies are key to ensuring new infrastructure development does not adversely impact upon the social fabric of communities;
(4) notes that:
(a) the Environment Protection and Heritage Council has decided to cease further development of the National Wind Farm Development Guidelines;
(b) there is significant anecdotal evidence supporting concern about the health and associated social effects of wind farms which remain unresolved; and
(c) the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee’s report, The Social and Economic Impact of Rural Wind Farms has, as a matter of priority, called for adequately resourced studies into the possible impact that wind farms have on health;
(5) recognises that the National Health and Medical Research Council’s rapid review into Wind Turbines and Health is only a cursory compilation of literature on the topic and not an in depth study and should not be principally relied upon to inform planning guidelines;
(6) calls on the Government to urgently commence full in-depth studies into the potential health effects of wind turbines, especially low-frequency infrasound;
(7) requests that the Government fully investigate international best practice in planning policies regarding wind farms and, in conjunction with State governments, publish comprehensive updated guidelines;
(8) calls on State, Territory and local government authorities to adopt cautious planning policies for wind farms and in the interim provide adequate buffer zones and not locate wind farms near towns, residential zoned areas, farm buildings and workplaces; and
(9) calls for approval processes to require wind farm developers to indemnify against potential health issues arising from infrasound before development approval is granted.
Mrs MOYLAN (Pearce): … Wind farms are decades old; they are not new. But in modern times the magnitude and the proliferation have grown exponentially. A single wind farm can require tens of thousands of hectares of land, housing hundreds of turbines as tall as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A single project may amount to a billion-dollar investment. Despite the fact that wind power projects are set to quadruple over the next 30 years under the government’s clean energy package, there are no nationally consistent policies or laws governing their development. Planning decisions taken by state governments vary and may involve legislation that uses an arbitrary rule in relation to proximity to dwellings and workplaces. They do not necessarily take into account the geography or the topographical features of a landscape that wind farms will be located in. In Western Australia, for example, there is no legislation enforcing development plans~just guidelines loosely developed with consideration to the rapid review undertaken by the federal government.
In any jurisdiction in the country, stringent planning policies apply to everything from a backyard shed, or indeed a fence, to an airport. Just ask any developer. Yet planning policies for wind farms are approached on an ad hoc basis, informed by cursory investigations into concerns that in some cases are tearing communities apart, particularly rural communities, and causing many people to vacate their homes. The increased size o f turbines and the increased amount of land utilised for the farms are growing to mammoth proportions. Therefore, it seems fundamental that we need proper planning procedure to ensure that the community anxiety is addressed and that the best outcome is achieved for all stakeholders.
I think that we should work on the basis that we should do no harm with this policy. Although wind power is a clean technology, that does not mean that it has no environmental impact. A number of people Jiving near to wind farms have reported a myriad of health issues. The low-frequency noise and infrasound produced by wind turbines has been identified as a potential cause of some of these problems. The science behind infrasound is quite detailed and requires a thorough examination. …
Mr SCHULTZ (Hume): It is a shame that I will not have more time to expose the great fraud on the Australian people that is the wind turbine industry. Communities in proximity to wind turbine complexes are experiencing health and noise impacts that interfere with their lives. They did not experience these issues before the turbines came online. I have received complaints from my constituents that confirm similar experiences at other sites. It appears that noise frequencies occur inside houses, which some people hear and others do not hear. Similarly, it appears from testing that there are low frequencies in houses that are below the threshold of hearing that can generate effects on people, giving rise to headaches and nausea. There is no transparency in relation to noise testing. It is all in-house by the wind operators and nothing is released in the public domain. The wind turbine industry says there are no problems but there are cracks appearing in this position. A number of wind turbine operators are now buying houses when there is proof of a noise issue even when they say there is no problem. There are proposals for hundreds of turbines to be installed and we still do not have the health and noise studies nominated in the Senate inquiry. It is foolish to proceed with more turbines on the problems with the current ones simp1y have not been resolved.
Rural communities believe they are being discriminated against by the provision of wind farms producing excessive noise. They have every reason to believe this when you investigate the conduct of the New South Wales planning department in their lack of due diligence and accountability in the noise compliance assessment process. That the New South Wales Department of Planning is clearly complicit in also hiding the truth from rural communities can be seen from this noise compliance assessment document of the Capital Wind Farm which has had 80 per cent of the data removed prior to the document being released under a freedom of information request. …
Mr MATHESON (Macarthur): … While it is important that we explore and pursue cleaner energy solutions, little research has been conducted into the detrimental health and social effects of wind turbines on nearby populations. People living near wind turbines report a range of symptoms: chronic sleep deprivation, headaches, nausea, increased stress and what Dr Nina Pierpont MD has coined ‘wind turbine syndrome’. Wind turbine syndrome is a recently diagnosed illness mainly because wind turbines are a relatively new technology. This syndrome is believed to be caused by ultra–low frequency noises known as ‘infrasound’ generated by turbines moving through the air. Many within the wind industry construe wind turbine syndrome as a fabricated illness; however, people living near wind turbines all over the world are reporting a uniform set of symptoms.
As the body of evidence supporting the detrimental health effects of wind turbines is still largely anecdotal, the government must as a matter of urgency commence full in-depth studies into the potential health effects of wind turbines, especially low-frequency infrasound. Additionally, the government must fully investigate international best practice in planning policies regarding wind farms, and publish comprehensive updated guidelines. As a nation we are investing billions of dollars in wind energy, which is expected to continue over the coming decades. It is incredibly important that our planning policies ensure that new developments do not adversely impact on the health of our communities. Many of these health concerns have not been investigated. Nor have there been any in-depth studies into the potential health effects of wind turbines, especially low-frequency infrasound. It is poor policy to allow wind farms to be constructed without proper planning guidelines to protect our rural and regional populations.
The Senate Community Affairs References Committee report The Social and Economic Impact of Rural Wind Farms has called for adequately resourced studies into the possible impact wind farms have on health as a matter of priority. The government has failed to implement any of these recommendations. …
Federation Chamber
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
Wind Turbines
PROCEDURAL TEXT
Monday, 19 March 2012
BY AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Download original document: “Wind Farm – Moylan PMM, Hansard 19th March 2012″
