Wind Installations have proven to be both good neighbors and of tremendous benefit for reducing town budgets and CO2 emissions in the communities of Hull and Portsmouth, RI. The benefits have been significant enough to have brought about the installation of second turbines in both communities.
Recently noise reports have been broadcast by the press as an issue for 3 neighbors located in the residential neighborhood of Vinalhaven, Maine, and, quite recently, for 7 neighbors near the new turbine in Falmouth, Ma. These concerns are being taken quite seriously. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been on site in Vinalhaven, Maine during the month of May, to record sound levels and survey local residents. Results of the review are expected by the end of summer 2010. The results will be posted on this site as soon as they are available.
Meanwhile, careful interviewing of neighbors living close to turbines at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Bourne, in Hull, Massachusetts, and at Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, RI have been unable to provide evidence of similar complaints. Testimonials are viewable on the movies page of this site. No evidence of annoyance, discomfort, illness, or concern for real estate value has been verified at any of these other turbine installation sites.
Scientifically accredited studies on “flicker” (the shadow cast by the rotating blades), sound, and real estate value depreciation can be found on the respective pages of this site.