Do modern turbines make much noise?
Yes. Evidence continues to emerge from established wind power stations in the UK, Europe, the US, and New Zealand, that the wind noise produced can be much worse and travel much further than predicted, particularly at night.
The size and height of the rotor blades, and the additive effect of a group of turbines are now thought to be important factors.
We have recently seen interviews with residents of Marton, Ireleth and Askam in Cumbria. Residents complain that they find it difficult to get to sleep. If they fall asleep and are then woken, they cannot get back to sleep. One interviewee had to move to a bedroom at the back of the house to get away from the noise. She described the noise as, "...like an old boot in a tumble drier". Another resident describes how he can no longer use his garden, or have windows open on hot days.
These residents have now formed an action group to get the turbines removed, in an attemp to ..."get their quality of life back." But they all wish that they had acted to stop the turbines coming in the first place. (Contact SHOWT to arrange to see this programme.)
If you live within 2 or 3 kilometres of the Hempnall site, turbine noise may well be a problem especially as ours is a quiet rural environment with low levels of natural background noise.
We have also come across an informative video interview from Upper New York State, with residents suffering from turbine noise. (The link site uses streaming video).