How Can Wind Farms Be Harmful?

A wind farm consists of many wind turbines built together on one site. The aim of these wind farms is to capture the wind which turns the propellers on the wind turbines, producing electricity, as explained on darvill.clara.net.

Wind Turbine Syndrome

• "Wind Turbine Syndrome" is a condition proposed by N. Pierpoint that is caused by wind farms; it consists of a range of physical conditions such as headaches in addition to sleeplessness and anxiety. However, Wind Turbine Syndrome has been discredited by RenewableUK who highlight the fundamentally flawed methods used in the development of the Wind Turbine Syndrome theory and point to the fact that the research has not been published in any peer reviewed academic or medical journal.

Harmful Low Frequency Noise

• The RenewableUK website released a document explaining how wind farms do not emit harmful low frequency noise. However, the Wind Energy Programmatic EIS Information Center explains how wind farms can produce a constant audible noise due to movement of the rotor blades. Darvill.clara.net suggest this noise can be irritating, but has been reduced through developments in aerodynamic designs.

Environmental Impacts

• Wind farms pose a risk to migrating birds, which can be killed if they fly into the rotors as explained by Wind Energy Programmatic EIS Information Center. Although, darvill.clara.net highlights how wind farms are not usually built on migratory routes, therefore reducing this risk to birds.