Wind Farms / Wind Turbines. Any problems?

[taffinnorfol]

Seven of the UK's biggest land-based wind turbines (125 metres) are proposed to be erected within 1000 metres of our house. Restricting the answers to those who have ACTUAL and personal experience of living near these things, could readers please give details of any health and quality of life issues about which I should be concerned?

[jake-the-peg]

According to what I've read the first of these 125 Metre tubines was only installed a couple of years back off shore in Cuxhaven Germany.

I think the largest land based one so far in the UK is 85 metres tall with much smaller blades at Green Park

http://www.greenpark.co.uk/whymovetogreenpark/ windturbine.shtml

So I don't think you'll find anyone with actual experience of living near one on that scale

You might be interested in this website :
http://www.windaction.org/news/c120/?sort=rati ng

you can subscribe and they'd probably be able to put you in touch with some people that can answer your questions

[taffinnorfol]

Hi jake-the peg, Thanks. The one in Swaffham is already there. It has an 85 metre tower and 70 metre sweep from 3 x 35 metre blades making it 120 metres long. It was completed in 2003 - have a look on this link:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/304 7376.stm

There are slightly smaller ones around. I think people get confused by the tower height v. overall height, with propellers.

I'd be glad to get information from anyone with experience of living near to any industrial sized turbines / wind farms.

[jake-the-peg]

Well I think you're talking about something like this:

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Worlds-Largest-Wind-Turb ine-Generator.htm

Aren't you with 125m blade diameter?

[Goodsoulette]

I have extended family who have a farm very close to four burrow wind farm. Theres no health issues as far as I am aware, its not like there are any emissions or owt to worry about. The only thing I think you would have to worry about is noise. Its quieter than living within a similar distance of a busy road, its not silent. I also suppose it depends on whether you think they are an eyesore, I'm not sure why but I love seeing them.

One of my mums farms is near hinkley point, I know which one I would rather live near.

Within a 1000 metres a bit vague, isnt it. How close could that be?

[Goodsoulette]

just thought I would add that four burrows has been there for maybe 15 years so technology would probably have advanced and they must be quieter than even these.

[taffinnorfol]

Hi jake-the-peg, No. that's an off-shore type. These are Vestas V90, 2.0MW turbines which are on 80 metre towers with 70 metre sweep (each prop. is 35 metres long) so a total height of 125 metres. I't's not the world's biggest - the UK's tallest (overall height) land-based turbine. It's all in the developer's papers. No worries, it's people's actual experience I'm trying to tap into! Thanks anyway.

[stewey]

Regarding 'health and quality of life issues', I would be much more concerned if a nuclear plant, a coal-burning generating plant, or a large airport were going to built in the general vicinity of where I live. After all. it's just a big propeller that goes round and around............Mind you the area might become a tourist attraction, and you might not be happy with that.

[taffinnorfol]

Hi Goodsoulette, 999 metres to be precise (or 1,092 yards).
There are no busy roads here, just lanes with the odd car etc and open country between our house and the proposed site. With no background noise worth talking about, I want to know if people who have actually lived about the same distance away from biggish turbines have had any problems with light flicker, noise, pressure waves and all these things that the "anti" groups talk about. I have done my research but there is much on each side of the arguement and I am worried, particularly because I understand that these are not as efficient as they are cracked up to be (we have low wind speeds!!) and the government have said no more land based turbines after 2010 because of that. So, the developer is trying to rammrod in the planning application irrespective of whether it's a good site or not! Thanks for the comment though!

[Goodsoulette]

well their sheep are certainly within that distance. Hmmm...Im not sure. I would phone and ask them but I haven't spoken for about 2 years and it would seem a bit odd lol

I just had a little look at wind power thing and apparently it will cause major interference with your radar.

its a shame power companies/government arent prepared to fork out more to tidal barriers and offshore windfarms. Apparently if they stuck a severn barrier in (although at a cost of 10 billion it would generate 10% of the required electricity in England.

[taffinnorfol]

Goodsoulette, good point and thanks.

[Goodsoulette]

Im 28 and when I was a kid I was brought up believeing that windpower and harnessing tidal energy was the way it was going to be by now. Instead we are sticking up nuclear power stations pretending that they are brilliant for the environment. Sorry seem to have hijacked a little. Good luck though, unfortunately someone has to live near these things.

[taffinnorfol]

Hi Stewey, That's the point, they wouldn't build a conventional power station here but there are serious stories about wind turbine problems for local residents. It's not a question of whether they are a good thing - of course they are, it's where they are sited. Coastal is best to get the best winds and therefore the most electricity and remember, the radiation issue wasn't discovered as a major hazard until they had split the atom (i.e. too late!) . This is why people's actual experiences are so vitally important.

[redcrx]

I live in swaffham and i work on the industrial estate attached to the ecotech where the large wind turbine with platform is. We also have a second about 1 mile away and a further 7 3 miles away.

The one nearest makes a slight wooshing noise but nothing thats very loud, even at night when all around is still and quiet.

when it was first installed there were some concerns about it causing epilepsy but it was proven to be untrue and it doesnt rotate fast enough to cause the flashes that would cause an epileptic seizure.

It also affected TV reception so the company paid for the affected homes to have sky digital installed free of charge.

I quite like being near a wind turbine but just wish that now we have accepted 2 in swaffham that we are first on list everytime another is put forward. We are now getting a third and evey town in our area is refusing planning for them.

[redcrx]

sorry that should say 'that we are NOT first on list'

[taffinnorfol]

Thanks redcrx, good info.

Some of the antis say that noise doesn't feature underneath the turbines but rather as a bubble, grounding some metres away from the turbine and then extending out quite widely.
The light flicker is interesting because the setting sun (bright Norfolk sunsets eh?!) would be directly behind the seven turbines when seen from our house and garden. They are a really good idea but I was suprised to see them so close to properties at Swaffham.
I also just found out that any electricity produced would just go straight into the National Grid and not to the four villages which surround the site!!! Ho hum!!

[redcrx]

Well i havnt heard that about the noise spreading before. Both my parent and my own home are about 0.5 miles from the turbines and there is no noise at that point at all.
The industrial unit does not get as much of the noise compared to standing right below it and it isnt very loud at either point.
The light issue doesnt seem to last for long and is only on bright days in the height of summer.
Are you in Norfolk? Have you visited the ecotech site?
were you told that the electricity would benefit the villages, we were told that many years before we got the first turbine. The town was advised it would get cheaper electricity for the inconvenience of having a turbine.
We were also told by the owner of the first 2 turbines that there is a sort of gentlemans agreement amongst turbine installers that once a town has so many that they are not seen as an easy target and dont have loads more forced onto them. He said this when a rival was putting up the 7 just outside town and yet once they were up he has now put a request in for a 3rd of his own at swaffham.
Im quite happy to have them in my back yard so to speak but i dont like the way that this is abused.
still, much better than a power station, i do think the turbines look nice.

[Clanad]

Here in the U.S. we have some huge wind farms near Palm Springs, CA but they are largely isolated in the canyon area on the west. However, here in the inter-mountain west we have some respectably large farms of perhaps 50 to 100 turbines. These are about 200 feet tall or so (just eyeballing them) and the blades appear to be about 40 to 50 feet in length each. There's been a lengthy discussion of the bird deaths in the area. One technician I know says it's not unusual to find 20 or 30 dead birds per night at the base of the towers. So far, it hasn't raised the hackles of the animal rights folks, but I'm sure it will...

[taffinnorfol]

Hi redcrx, Yes, I'm in South Norfolk, near Diss. Interesting info and thanks. I'm sorry that you're having more dumped on Swaffham because they see you as an easy option I guess.
Did you get the cheaper electricity in the end?

[taffinnorfol]

Hi Clanad, Great to see the answerbank being used in the US! Y'see, I think that that's very sensible, having them in remote parts. It costs the companies a bit more to connect into the Grid but they make a fortune anyway! That way, they avoid all the hastle of having to deal with people like me who are after answers before agreeing to the siting of something which COULD have big implications for my / my family's health and happiness.
We've had newspaper reports about Swans and migrating birds being found in heaps under these things but the Power Companies say it's not true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the info and best wishes!