Wind Turbine Noise

Abstract

Wind turbines are springing up, in the countryside or off-shore, in many parts of the world. Currently there are nearly 70,000 turbines installed worldwide, but Europe is leading the development of wind generating capacity with 30,000MW in 2003. this is expected to rise to 75,000MW in 2010 and possibly to 180,000MW in 2020. For comparison, a typical fossil fuel power station generating around 1000MW may burn nearly 10,000 tons of coal a day. a large nuclear power station might generate a similar amount of electricity, although for both fossil fuel and nuclear there is a wide range of capacities. Wind turbines on land are often erected on high ground in order to catch a good wind and, in heavily populated countries, it is becoming difficult to find sites which are remote from habitation, leading to complaints of noise.