Setback aims to keep noise at 'library' levels
Increasing the distance between turbines, homes to 550 metres may harm projects, developers say
New rules proposed by the Ontario government would forbid the placement of large wind turbines closer than 550 metres to a residence, a distance that could affect the economic viability of many wind projects across the province.
The province-wide regulation would create for the first time a minimum setback distance for wind turbines from dwellings, roads, railway lines, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive lands or airspace.
Wind turbines emit noise and some rural residents have complained the massive machines are disrupting sleep and making people sick. The proposed setback aims to keep noise levels below 40 decibels, which, according to the government, is a level “experienced in a quiet office or library.”
Sean Whittaker, policy director at the Canadian Wind Energy Association, said the 550-metre setback is not a surprise. He said Energy and Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman had already publicly stated that 500 metres would likely be a starting point.
“Our members right now are going through the guidelines and determining what impact they’ll have on their projects,” Whittaker said. “We will be providing feedback to the government through the normal review process.”
The ministries of environment and natural resources will hold information meetings at six locations across Ontario this month, where the public will get a chance to voice their support or concerns.
Wind Concerns Ontario, a coalition of citizens who oppose industrial wind development, called the proposal a “promising move in the right direction” but urged the government to go further. In recent months, members of the group have called for mandatory setbacks of 1,500 metres or more.
Coalition spokesperson Beth Harrington said the setback should be measured from property lines, not from the actual place of dwelling. She added that the proposed regulation does not adequately address low-frequency noise or deal with individuals affected by existing wind-turbine developments.
The required setback for new projects could run as high as 1,500 metres if a cluster of 16 or more turbines emit a combined manufacturer’s decibel rating of 106 or more, but experts called that an unlikely scenario that is already a possibility under existing regulation.
David Timm, vice-president of strategic affairs at Toronto-based wind developer AIM PowerGen, said a developer could squeeze the setback distance down to the 550-metre minimum by simply proving through a noise study that actual sound is below 40 decibels.
Timm said those noise studies and the 40-decibel target are common in the industry. What developers must now come to grips with is a province-wide minimum setback of 550 metres even if noise levels are proven to fall below 40 decibels.
“Noise issues are very site specific,” he said, adding that setbacks were generally between 300 and 450 metres when municipalities controlled the process.
Whittaker said that adding another 50 or 100 metres to setbacks might not seem like much, but it can ruin the business case of a wind project when combined with other planning constraints.
Tyler Hamilton
Energy Reporter
11 June 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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