[Wowfunhappy]

Geez, I'm torn on number one, since obviously locals should be able to live in peace, but the world is in such incredibly dire need of clean energy.

Surely this was an issue with these specific turbines, right? Not a problem with all of them?

[fragmede]

Low-grade humming is exhausting anyway. That's one of the reasons people are so tired after a long plane flight, despite just sitting there.

Giant stationary installations with very loud noises tend to cause weird noise issues. It's a lot of unfocused, or weirdly focused sonic energy that can't be heard from a little further away, but at exactly the right (well, wrong) place, it can get re-focused, leading to a droning noise that starts and stops unexpectedly. A good example that shows this phenomenon is real, despite being invisible is the Listening Vessels[0] exhibit at the Exploratorium or similar, with two giant parabolic sound reflectors.

For the wind farm, the issue isn't just turbines, but that specific turbine, down to the serial number and the serial number plate, at that exact location, temperature, humidity, causing a resonance in a specific resident's door, miles away. The resident may be able to replace, eg, the door, but often there are factors outside of the resident's control that contribute to the issue. Like the siding on the neighbor's house, or where their car is parked.

Ideally an acoustical consultant would be brought in during the design stage (just like SREs should be brought in during the design phase of a new service and not 5 minutes before it goes live), but that almost never happens, as we see (well hear) here.

At least in this case the noise can be heard by everybody. Imagine this noise coming off the bridge, but it's only audible from your bedroom Tuesdays when its cloudy. And none of your neighbors can hear it. You'd think you'd gone mad!

[0] https://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/listening-vessels

[eigenvector]

> Ideally an acoustical consultant would be brought in during the design stage (just like SREs should be brought in during the design phase of a new service and not 5 minutes before it goes live), but that almost never happens, as we see (well hear) here.

Noise studies by qualified acoustical engineers are the rule not the exception in many jurisdictions.[1] But these only go so far, because the model of the predicted noise emissions from the as-yet-unbuilt turbine is only so detailed.

For what it's worth, no matter how much engineering you do there are always people who think they can hear something that can't be measured and won't be convinced otherwise.

On the other hand, a thing that really does reduce complaints is paying a community dividend to everyone who lives nearby (instead of just paying the owners of the actual land under the turbines).

[1] https://www.ontario.ca/page/noise-guidelines-wind-farms

[klohto]

Anecdotal evidence, but I have the same experience as well. I’m not from US, so I will assume it’s a different type of turbine. Wind turbines were installed near our village and my family started hearing sounds and feeling vibrations. I didn’t hear and don’t hear them when I return there, but it forced my parents to leave their home.

It’s a horrible feeling, especially since people don’t believe you. It can hardly be measured, because people with the correct equipment don’t pay attention to you and other people think you’re crazy.

Actually, if anybody has more information on how would I go around fixing this issue or which party should I raise this with, I would welcome that. It’s been more than a decade but the turbine is still there even though affected people have moved out.

[technicaldonut]

That's actually a scientifically recorded fact.

German researches recorded the sleep patterns of 397 residents in areas where there was previously no mobile reception. After erecting 10 towers, many people complained about a change in sleep patterns. 5 of the 10 towers were turned off though so had no actual effect. Just the believe was enough to cause problems. [0]

[0] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20737608/

[oliveshell]

Well, it could have been unrelated to radio emissions: resonant sounds caused by wind blowing through the tall towers, for example.