When designing a project, AIM typically consults with local authorities and makes sure that all projects are compliant will zoning regulations, setbacks from houses and roads, and avoid sensitive areas such as ANSIs, provincial parks, etc. Accordingly, project layouts are designed to be compliant with the Ministry of the Environment’s guideline on noise emissions. Other potential exclusion zones are microwave links, areas around airports, wetlands and shorelines. Setbacks can account for more than 50% of a project area.
In terms of shadow flicker, analysis undertaken on similar sites in Ontario and elsewhere have shown that shadow flicker at dwellings can occur, but for a very small percentage of the time (in the order of 0,5% of daytime hours). Additionally, no dwelling is less that 400 m from a turbine, therefore reducing the shadow intensity at the point of reception. It is important to note that the distinctiveness of the shadow is greatly blurred with distance: the farther the turbine is from the receptor, the more out of focus the shadow flicker becomes. Additionally, for shadow flicker to occur the rotor has to be perpendicular to the "sun-receptor line of sight" and there has to be a clear line of sight between the turbine and the receptor (i.e. no obstruction from other houses, structures, forested patches, etc.). The figures given above thus represent a worst-case scenario. AIM’s project in operation in Port Burwell has turbines at similar distances to dwellings and no complaints came to our attention.
The number of wind installations in Europe has enjoyed a constant and high growth rate in the last several years (World Wind Energy Association, 2006). From 2004 and 2005, world installed capacity increased by 69.4% (World Wind Energy Association, 2006). Japan has also shown an increase in capacity of 16% between 2004 and 2005, and Australia, 50.9%.Most provinces in Canada have moved to increase their wind energy portfolios, and the growth rate is very high, with an estimation that capacity will exceed 10,000 MW in the next 10 years. Moreover, the rapid growth rate of wind energy in the world, (15.8% in the last 5 years) (BTM consult ApS, 2005), demonstrates that the technological improvement makes wind energy an efficient, reliable and competitive source of energy.
Wind energy is globally considered a reliable source of clean and renewable power that can now compete in cost with many conventional sources, such as natural gas and hydropower. Wind energy is strongly supported by environmental groups such as the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute. Some claims on the Internet state that wind turbines use up to 50% of the produced power to run themselves; this is grossly misstated. Wind turbines only need approximately 26 kWh of energy to power the lights and occasional heating of the nacelle in periods of extreme cold weather (-30oC to -40oC). These could amount, in extreme cases, to 0.7% of the energy produced.The capacity growth rate is only declining in some European countries, especially in Denmark and Germany, where the industry faces onshore space saturation and where many of the best onshore sites are already occupied (Cameron, 2005). Indeed, Denmark has the highest installed capacity per area in Europe, with 72.2 KW per km2 (Schwankhaus, 2004). It is followed by Germany which has an installed capacity per area of 40.9 KW per km2 (Schwankhaus, 2004). It is our understanding that the declining capacity growth rate in those two countries is not linked to environmental, human or health concerns.
It is generally considered that wind energy can meet up to 20% of electricity demand on a large electricity network without posing any serious technical or practical problems (EWEA, 2005). In fact, the capacity of the European power systems to absorb significant amounts of wind power is determined more by economics and regulatory rules than by technical or practical constraints (EWEA, 2005). Several studies have looked at penetration rates in capacity terms (i.e. the percentage of installed wind capacity in a grid compared to other energy sources). In Québec, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie considers a wind penetration rate of 10% to be achievable without major problems. However, RSW (2005) considers this rate to be “prudent and conservative”, adding that simulations could indicate higher penetration levels. Similarly, in preparation for New York State’s new Renewable Portfolio Standard, GE Energy (2005) found that a wind penetration rate of 10% (based on the 2008 peak load) would not create significant reliability problems.
As for any other tall structures, such as buildings and transmission lines, bird can collide with turbines. Results from modern wind farms indicate that an average of 2.19 avian fatalities per turbine per year has been observed in the United States. If raptor interactions are excluded, avian fatalities would represent only 0.033 fatalities per turbine per year (Erickson et al., 2001). If California is excluded, both of these averages drop substantially to 1.83 and 0.006 fatalities per turbine per year, respectively. Studies of individual wind farms in the northeastern United States have shown results similar to, and often below these averages. Erickson et. al. (2001) examined the Buffalo Ridge wind facility that averaged 1.95 fatalities per turbine per year, most of which were found to occur near wetlands and woodlands. Another wind facility in Searsburg, Vermont was found to have no recorded bird fatalities during one full one year study (Kerlinger, 2000).
From a literature search on the effects of wind farms on property values, it appears that very few comprehensive statistical studies were conducted on the subject. The numerous statements found on the Internet are either reported comments or opinions from real estate agents on specific sites, or surveys on homeowners’ opinions. The more detailed studies found, namely Jorgensen (1996), Sinclair Knight Mertz (2001), ECONorthwest (2002), and Damborg (2002), are either based on qualitative data, or lack of statistical significance.The most comprehensive study conducted so far is the study from the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP, 2003). The REPP study is the first to systematically analyze property values data in order to examine the charge often voiced by wind farm opponents that wind development will lower the value of property within view of the turbines. The REPP study looked at 27 wind development projects with a generating capacity of 10 MW or more that were installed in the U.S. from 1998 to 2001, and analyzed data from ten projects for which there were enough sales or other data to support statistical analysis. The statistical analysis to determine how property values changed over time in the view shed and in the comparable community was conducted on a database containing more than 25,000 records of property sales. The study found no evidence that property values decreased as a result of the wind farms. In fact, the study found that "for the great majority of projects the property values actually rose more quickly in the view shed than they did in the comparable community. Moreover, values increased faster in the view shed after the projects came on-line than they did before." The research group noted that values may have risen because of factors other than wind.
The number of wind installations in Europe has enjoyed a constant and high growth rate in the last several years (World Wind Energy Association, 2006). From 2004 and 2005, world installed capacity increased by 69.4% (World Wind Energy Association, 2006). Japan has also shown an increase in capacity of 16% between 2004 and 2005, and Australia, 50.9%.Most provinces in Canada have moved to increase their wind energy portfolios, and the growth rate is very high, with an estimation that capacity will exceed 10,000 MW in the next 10 years. Moreover, the rapid growth rate of wind energy in the world, (15.8% in the last 5 years) (BTM consult ApS, 2005), demonstrates that the technological improvement makes wind energy an efficient, reliable and competitive source of energy.
In the Fort McLeod to Pincher Creek area of Alberta, cattle operations and wind energy projects directly overlap, as well as in other parts of Canada and the world. Based on several years of operations. In essence, wind energy if often cited in different countries including Canada as compatible with grazing practices.Existing studies suggest that wildlife is not affected by the operation of a wind energy project. A study on "Wind-driven Power generators and game" researching on the habitat utilization by game species like roe deer, European brown hare, red fox, partridge and carrion crow in the vicinity of wind turbines was conducted by the Institute of Wildlife Research (Germany). The study covered a period of three years (April 1998 – March 2001) and was performed on behalf of the Hunters Association Lower Saxony. The results generally show no clear differences between areas with and without wind turbines and show the total areas to be used as living space. No surmise is made that the wind-driven Power generators have serious disturbing effects on the studied wildlife species like reduction of live stocks or migration.
Infrasound is defined as acoustic waves that are below the human threshold of perception. The human ear can detect frequencies as low as 200 Hz whereas infrasound is found within the range of 0 to 20 Hz. Infrasound is a common occurrence in a natural environment as many natural phenomena, such as waves, create infrasound. In 2005, a research study was requested to the French Minister of Health and Solidarity to evaluate the potential adverse effects of wind farms on human health. The research study was conducted by a group of specialists of the Académie Nationale de Médecine (National Medical Academy).The Academy reports that most of the health problems allegedly attributed to wind farms can be interpreted as general consequences of chronic noise. Some complaints such as tiredness, headaches, and nausea are often falsely attributed to infrasound. The research study states clearly that to create such effects, the level of infrasound level would have to be a thousand times higher that what can be measured in the vicinity of the wind turbines. Therefore, fear of wind turbine generated infrasound has no basis. A paper presented at the NWCC Research Meeting in December 2005 (Rogers, 2005), confirms that higher level of infrasound are needed to have any effect: "the ear is the most sensitive receptor of infrasound; if it cannot be perceived, it has no effects. Modern turbines do emit infrasound, but at levels below the minimum threshold of perception for most of the population, and well below the threshold for any adverse effects".While wind turbines have been listed as one of many potential sources of infrasound (along with household appliances and the wind itself), this was mainly due to an old American wind turbine model which is no longer in used. (New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, 2004). The model had a lattice tower with the rotor blades located downwind. Modern turbines, with the rotor blades placed upwind of a tubular steel tower, avoid most of the infrasound emissions. A monitoring program done on the first wind farms installed in Quebec, approximately five years ago, found no significant infrasound emissions from the wind farm (Quebec Ministry of Environment, 17 May 2005).
Myths & Legends
