Abstract
A small focused socio-acoustic after-study of annoyance from a windmill park was undertaken after local health officials demanded a health impact study to look into neighborhood complaints. The windmill park consists of 31 turbines and is located in the South of Norway where it affects 179 dwellings. Simple exposure-effect relationships indicate stronger reactions to windmills and wind turbine noise than shown internationally, with the caveat that the sample size is small (n = 90) and responses are colored by the existing local conflict. Pulsating swishing sounds and turbine engine hum are the main causes of noise annoyance. About 60 per cent of those who participated in the survey were of the opinion that windmills degrade the landscape aesthetically, and were far from convinced that land-based windmills are desirable as a renewable energy source (hydropower is an important alternative source of renewables in Norway). Attitudes play an important role in addition to visual aesthetics in determining the acceptance of windmills and the resulting noise annoyance. To compare results from different wind turbine noise studies it seems necessary to assess the impact of important modifying factors.
Highlights
And in in Northern Europe there is an increasing interest in renewable energy sources, and a number of wind farms have been established
In Norway relatively few wind farms have been established so far, but a number of them are in the planning stage
More than half of the respondents are of the opinion that windmills are to the visual landscape. Of those who are amenable to the visual aesthetics, the exposure-effect detrimental to the visual landscape
Summary
And in in Northern Europe there is an increasing interest in renewable energy sources, and a number of wind farms have been established. In Norway relatively few wind farms have been established so far, but a number of them are in the planning stage. The Lista wind farm was put into operation in 2012. It consists of 31 wind turbines, with 179 properties within a 2 km radius from the closest turbine (Figure 1). Norwegian zoning restrictions are imposed on areas exposed to an evening and night time equivalent wind turbine noise level (Lden ) of 45 dBA and above. The limit for wind turbine noise is 10 dBA stricter than the limit for road traffic noise, which is Lden 55 dBA
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