Cape officials explore wind power
More questions about “small wind energy systems” blew around the table at the latest Cape Elizabeth Ordinance Committee meeting last week.
It was the last chance the committee had to amend the drafted ordinance before presenting it to the town council Sept. 8.
The committee is made up of four of the seven councilors – Chairman Cynthia Dill, Sara Lennon, Mary Ann Lynch and James Rowe.
While the committee unanimously agreed to amend some language to further discourage the development of wind farms, Rowe said he thought restricting the noise generated by a single turbine to 50 decibels at the property’s boundary was “pretty tight.”
“Fifty decibels is maybe a little too restrictive; all this might be moot if no manufacturer can build it,” he said. “I would hate to go through all this and have [an ordinance for] something nobody can build anyway.”
RA Power Solutions is a renewable and alternative energy product provider in Cape Neddick. Dean Scontras, RA Power Solutions vice president of business development, said 50 to 55 decibels is “right in the sweet spot” for most residential wind turbines, which can range from 40 to 100 feet in height.
“You’re operating within a very tight limit there,” he said.
Scontras said there were several models less than 100 feet in height – the maximum under the drafted ordinance – that would meet the noise requirements and still produce 1.9 kilowatts of energy in a stiff breeze.
“I’m not sure why any resident would want more than a 100 foot turbine, so you should be fine,” he said
Cape Elizabeth resident Warren Roos, who inquired about installing a wind turbine on his property about two months ago, said he felt increasing the noise limit by 5 decibels was not a large step in making Cape Elizabeth more “turbine friendly.”
“When the wind is blowing hard there are a lot of other things going on, leaves in the trees blow and make noise,” he said. “Fifty to 55 decibels is about normal conversation level. I understand why [the ordinance committee] is being careful about the noise but it may exclude some models.”
Dill said having “been around windmills” she believed even 50 decibels could be too loud.
“It doesn’t sound like wind blowing through the trees,” she said.
Town Council Chairman Mary-Ann Lynch compared the noise level to a vacuum cleaner thirty feet away; a situation she recreated at her own home.
“On a summer night, the windows are open, you can hear that,” she said.
Dill reminded the committee that the Inn By The Sea was also limited to a 55 decibel noise limit, as were all residential homes.
“It won’t be a new number,” she said before the committee unanimously approved increasing the noise limit for wind turbines from 50 to 55 decibels.
The committee also added language allowing property owners to erect danger and safety signs around wind turbines and limited any advertising on the turbine itself to a size of less than one square foot.
“That will be the subject of discussion at the town council meeting,” Lynch said.
By Nate Jones
Staff Writer
29 August 2008
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Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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