Turbines 'intrusive'
A Massey University survey shows that 80 percent of people in Manawatu who live within 3km of wind turbines find them intrusive.
And 73 percent think the turbines are unattractive.
This finding is at odds with the national support for wind energy expressed in other published studies, building technology senior lecturer Robyn Phipps, who led the survey said in a report.
Dr Phipps was due to give evidence and present the report last night at the resource consent hearing into Motorimu Wind Farm Ltd’s application to build a 127- turbine wind farm on the Tararua Ranges.
“(the survey results) could reflect the reality of living with wind turbines as opposed to the ideology of renewable energy.”
The survey was on the visual and noise effects experienced by residents living within a notional 3km ring of the existing wind farms in the Tararua and Ruahine ranges.
A total of 1100 survey forms were delivered, 614 were returned, giving a response rate of 56 percent, Dr Phipps said.
“This is considered very high for a self-reporting, self-returning survey and suggests a high level of interest.”
Turbine noise is heard by 75 percent of households — 45 percent of households living within 2km of the wind farm and 20 percent of households living up to 8km away reported hearing turbine noise.
By Helen Harvey
Manawatu Standard
15 March 2007
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Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
