August 23, 2017
Australia

Walkamin resident is keeping tabs on Mt Emerald wind farm through state-of-the-art equipment

Daniel Bateman | Herald Sun | August 24, 2017 | www.heraldsun.com.au

A Tablelands resident opposing a wind farm has taken her objection to the $380 million development to the next level by becoming a certified noise surveyor.

Walkamin business owner Jenny Disley has bought state-of-the-art equipment and obtained a diploma in noise monitoring and evaluation in order to ensure the Mt Emerald Wind Farm complies with environmental conditions set by authorities.

Construction is underway on Ratch Australia’s 53-turbine project due to be completed in September next year.

The company says the wind farm will supply, on average, a third of the power needs of the Far North.

Ms Disley, who bought her property near Mt Emerald about 20 years ago, operates a rural accommodation business, which is licensed for 40 residents. She lives less than 2km from the wind farm and believes she will be subjected to a large amount of infrasound – low frequency noise – from its turbines once they are switched on.

Ratch Australian is restricted by environmental authorities to generating 35dBA at night and 37dBA during the day at the 2km distance away from Ms Disley’s property.

But she believed it would be impossible for the turbines, which will have blades 57m long, to keep within these conditions.

“These monster turbines emit around 100-110 decibels (dBA) at the hub,” she said.

“With my houses being just 1750m from turbines, and (will) have 35 of them in my direct field of view – and being downwind of most of those, I wonder how noise loss can come down from 110dBA to 37dBA in that short distance.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/08/23/walkamin-resident-is-keeping-tabs-on-mt-emerald-wind-farm-through-state-of-the-art-equipment/