Fairhaven wind turbines: health versus finances
Letter: In Fairhaven, it's health versus finances | August 02, 2013 | www.southcoasttoday.com
Letter: In Fairhaven, it's health versus finances | August 02, 2013 | www.southcoasttoday.com
For a year, stories have been written using comparisons about the lack of wind turbine noise complaints around the Massachusetts Maritime Academy versus those in Fairhaven.
The answer is simple: The Fairhaven 1.5 megawatt turbines are nearly 2½ times bigger that the 660-kilowatt Mass. Maritime turbine.
Every town that has megawatt turbines installed has hundreds of residential noise complaints. The simplest answer would be to take down the megawatt turbines and put up the smaller 660-kilowatt turbines.
The megawatt turbines like Fairhaven cause a thumping sound downwind of the tower with the most noise perpendicular to the blades’ rotation. The bottom line? People can’t sleep.
The Fairhaven turbines were projected to bring a revenue stream of between $200,000 and a high of $600,000 to the town. The dramatic drop in natural gas prices has changed the complicated formula on the profit Fairhaven makes on the turbines. This year, only a little over $150,000 and less next year.
The Fairhaven turbines may look brand-new, but they were built using older gearbox technology, which requires much more maintenance. Only time will tell if this turns into an economic fiasco.
Frank Haggerty
Mattapoisett
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/02/fairhaven-wind-turbines-health-versus-finances/