Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A Review of Wind Turbine-Generated Infrasound: Source, Measurement and Effect on Health

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Acoustics Australia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Some people who reside in proximity to wind turbines complain of a range of adverse health impacts. These include tinnitus, raised blood pressure, heart palpitations, tachycardia, stress, anxiety, vertigo, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, headaches, ear pressure, exacerbated migraine disorders, motion sensitivity, inner ear damage and sleep deprivation. This article begins with a historical review of prognoses such as Vibroacoustic Disease and Wind Turbine Syndrome which were proposed to explain the reported health symptoms and the hypothesised link to the emission of infrasound from wind turbines. A review of noise measurements at wind turbine sites conducted by various investigators shows that the level of infrasound is below the threshold of hearing. Notwithstanding, others postulate that stimulation by infrasound of the otolith organs causes nauseogenic symptoms or that stimulation of the outer hair cells, which are said to be particularly sensitive to infrasound frequencies, explains the symptoms. A review of social surveys is undertaken of self-reported health effects attributable to wind turbine noise, including the effects of sleep disturbance. A description is finally provided of physical exploration studies which subject participants to infrasound and measure their response.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Adapted from http://flipper.diff.org/app/items/info/6238

Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Section 2.9 reference [1].

  2. Section 2.14 ibid.

  3. An ill wind blowing. John van Tiggelen. SMH Good Weekend, 4 Sept 2004.

  4. Section 1.12 ibid.

  5. Reference [3].

  6. https://quixoteslaststand.com/worldwide-anti-wind-groups/.

  7. http://waubrafoundation.org.au/, https://stopthesethings.com/.

  8. https://www.crikey.com.au/community-groups-opposed-to-csg/.

  9. http://www.lockthegate.org.au/.

  10. Section 2.37 Reference [1].

  11. Submission 338 by Robert Thorne ibid.

  12. Reference [7] op cit.

  13. Wind Farm’s noise is worst aspect. Letter to the Editor from Caroline Kerkham, Llangwyryfon, Dyfed, Wales. Daily Telegraph UK, 21 October 1993.

  14. Health check for Waubra Wind Farm. The Ballarat Courier. 15 October 2009.

  15. The actual value of the conversion factor depends upon the distribution of the PSD spectrum levels in the individual bands clustered around the tone. Theoretically, if all the energy were located in one spectral band, then the conversion factor would be 18 dB and therefore a PSD level of 90 dB represents a sound pressure level of (90–18\(=\)) 72 dB re 20 uPa. On the other hand, by way of example, if the energy were equally distributed across three contiguous bands, then the conversion factor would be 13 dB. There is insufficient information provided in the original reference to enable an accurate determination of the conversion factor to be made.

  16. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/media/releases/2016/nhmrc-awards-funding-wind-farms-and-human-health.

  17. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/noise-bruit/turbine-eoliennes/summary-resume-eng.php.

References

  1. The Senate Select Committee on Wind Turbines Final Report, Aug 2015. http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Wind_Turbines/Wind_Turbines/Final_Report

  2. 2016 Annual Report of the National Wind Farm Commissioner, 31 Mar 2017. https://www.nwfc.gov.au/publications/annual-report-2016

  3. Clean Energy Australia Report 2015. Clean Energy Council. https://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/policy-advocacy/reports/clean-energy-australia-report.html

  4. Tonin, R.: Quiet road pavements: design and measurement—state of the art. Acoust. Aust. 44, 235–247 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wind Turbines and Health. A rapid review of the evidence. National Health and Medical Research Council, July 2010. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/eh53

  6. Council of Canadian Academies: Understanding the evidence: wind turbine noise. The Expert Panel on Wind Turbine Noise and Human Health, Council of Canadian Academies, Ottawa, ON, 2015. http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/wind-turbine-noise/WindTurbineNoiseFullReportEn.pdf

  7. The Senate Select Committee on Wind Turbines, Senate-Wednesday, 10 June 2015. http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22committees%2Fcommsen%2F34382052-8907-4b85-a0af-1a3fb4be884c%2F0000%22

  8. Hansen, C.H.: Collateral Damage, Engineering Ethics and Wind Farms. Editorial SV Magazine, April (2016)

  9. Cooper, S.: Wind farm noise—an ethical dilemma for the australian acoustical society. Acoust. Aust. 40, 139–143 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Victorian Planning Provisions 52.32 Wind Energy Facility, July 2016. https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/planning-permit-applications/specific-permit-topics/wind-energy-facilities

  11. Minister Approved Statewide Wind Farms Development Plan Amendment. Gazetted, 18 Oct 2012. https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/17660/DPA_Minister_Approved_Statewide_Wind_Farms_DPA_Gazetted_18_October_2012.PDF

  12. Wind Energy Guideline For State significant wind energy development. NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment, Dec 2016. http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/~/media/Files/DPE/Guidelines/wind-energy-guideline-for-state-significant-wind-energy-development-2016-12.ashx

  13. Kelley, N.D., McKenna, H.E., Hemphill, R.R., Etter, C.L., Garrelts, R.L., Linn, N.C.: Acoustic Noise Associated with the MOD-1 Wind Turbine: Its Source, Impact, and Control. U.S. Department of Energy. Solar Energy Research Institute, Feb 1985. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/old/1166.pdf

  14. Branco, N.A.A.C., Alves-Pereira, A.M.: Vibroacoustic disease. Noise Health 6(23), 3–20 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Alves-Pereira, A.M., Branco, N.A.A.C.: Vibroacoustic disease: biological effects of infrasound and low-frequency noise explained by mechanotransduction cellular signalling. Prog. Biophys. Mol. Biol. 93, 256–279 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Alves-Pereira, A.M., Branco, N.A.A.C.: Public health and noise exposure: the importance of low frequency noise. Inter-noise 2007, Istanbul, Turkey, 28–31 Aug 2007

  17. Alves-Pereira, A.M., Branco, N.A.A.C.: In-home wind turbine noise is conducive to vibroacoustic disease. In: Second International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Lyon, France, 20–21 Sept 2007

  18. Waubra Wind Farm Planning Permit Call Ins. Application Nos 05/0150 and 05/0152. Panel Report, Mar 2005. http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/vic/PPV/2005/26.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=waubra%20wind%20farm&nocontext=1

  19. Van den Berg, F.: The sounds of high winds. Thesis, May 2006. http://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/14548137/17_thesis.pdf

  20. The Measurement of Low Frequency Noise at Three UK Wind Farms. Hayes Mckenzie Partnership Ltd. Department of Trade and Industry (2006). http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/sources/renewables/explained/wind/onshore-offshore/page31267.html

  21. Pierpont, N.: Wind Turbine Syndrome. K-Selected Books, Santa Fe (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tonin, R.: Sources of wind turbine noise and sound propagation. Acoust. Aust. 4(1) (2012)

  23. Oerlemans, S., Lopez, B.M.: Localisation and quantification of noise sources on a wind turbine. In: First International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Berlin 17–18 Oct 2005

  24. Doolan, C.: Wind turbine noise mechanisms and some concepts for its control. In: Proceedings of Acoustics (2011)

  25. Oerlemans, S., Sijtsma, P., López, B.M.: Location and quantification of noise sources on a wind turbine. J. Sound Vib. 299, 869–883 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Bullmore, A., Jiggins, M., Cand, M., Smith, M., Von-Hunerbein, S.: Wind turbine amplitude modulation: research to improve understanding as to its cause and effect. In: Fourth International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome, Italy, 12–14 Apr 2011

  27. Bertagnolio, F., Madsen, H.A., Fishcer, A., Bak, C.: Experimental characterization of stall noise toward its modelling. In: 6th International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise, Glasgow, 20–23 Apr 2015

  28. Oerlemans, S., Schepers, G.: Prediction of wind turbine noise and comparison to experiment. In: Second International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Lyon, France, 20–21 Sept 2007

  29. Jakobsen, J.: Infrasound emission from wind turbines. J. Low Freq. Noise Vib. Act. Control 24(3), 145–155 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Hansen, K., Zajamsek, B., Hansen, C.H.: Evaluation of secondary windshield designs for outdoor measurement of low frequency noise and infrasound. In: 5th International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise, Denver, 28–30 Aug 2013

  31. Tachibana, H., Fukushima, A., Ochiai, H.: Modelling of house filter for wind turbine noise. In: 6th International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise, Glasgow, Apr 2015

  32. The results of an Acoustic Testing Program: Cape bridgewater wind farm. The Acoustic Group, 26 Nov 2014. http://www.pacifichydro.com.au/files/2015/01/Cape-Bridgewater-Acoustic-Report.pdf

  33. Zajamsek, B., Hansen, K., Doolan, C.J., Hansen, C.H.: Characterisation of wind farm infrasound and low-frequency noise. J. Sound Vib. 370, 176–190 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Rao, B.K.N.: Infrasonic noise inside road vehicles and its effect on people. Shock Vib. Dig. 7(4), 65–69 (1975)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Moller, H., Pedersen, C.S.: Hearing at low and infrasonic frequencies. Noise Health 23(6), 37–57 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Watanabe, T., Moller, H.: Low frequency hearing thresholds in pressure field and in free field. J. Low Freq. Noise Vib. 9(3), 106–115 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. ISO 226:2003 Acoustics—Normal equal-loudness-level contours

  38. ISO 7196:1995 Acoustics—frequency-weighting characteristic for infrasound measurements

  39. Turnbull, C.P., Turner, J.P.: Measurement of infrasound from wind farms and other sources. In: Fourth International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome, Italy, 12–14 April 2011

  40. Walker, B., Hessler, G.F., Hessler, D.M., Rand, R., Schomer, P.A.: Cooperative Measurement survey and analysis of low frequency and infrasound at the shirley wind farm in Brown County, Wisconsin. Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (2012). https://apps.psc.wi.gov/vs2015/erf_view/viewdoc.aspx?docid=178200

  41. Waterloo Wind Farm: Environmental noise study. South Australian Environment Protection Authority (2013). http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental_info/noise/types_of_noise/wind_farms/waterloo_wind_farm_environmental_noise_study

  42. Tachibana, H., Hiroo, Y., Fukushima, A.: Assessment of wind turbine noise in immission areas. In: 5th International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise, Denver, 28–30 Aug 2013

  43. Moorhouse, A.T., Waddington, D.C., Adams, M.D.: A procedure for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126(3), 1131–1141 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Bell, A.: Constructive interference of tonal infrasound from synchronised wind farm turbines: evidence and implications. Acoust. Aust. 42(3), 212–218 (2014)

  45. Leventhall, G.: Infrasound rumbles on. Acoust. Bull. 38(2) (2013)

  46. Hartman, R.S.: The adverse health impacts of industrial wind turbines: a scientific response to “it’s all in your head”, 5 Apr 2013. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3468/64c8fa44090a1a08d54f9cc049301ab625d3.pdf

  47. Evans, T., Cooper, J., Lenchine, V.: Infrasound levels near windfarms and in other environments. South Australia Environmental Protection Authority (2013). http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/files/477912_infrasound.pdf

  48. Infrasound measurements from wind farms and other sources. Sonus, Nov 2010. http://www.goyder.sa.gov.au/webdata/resourfces/iles/Attachment_5.pdf

  49. Stead, M., Cooper, J., Evans, T.: Comparison of infrasound measured at people’s ears when walking to that measured near wind farms. Acoust. Aust. 42(3), 197–203 (2014)

  50. Leventhall, G.: Infrasound and the ear. In: 5th International Conference on Wind Turbine Noise, Denver, 28–30 Aug 2013

  51. Salt, A.N.: Letter to Chairman of Association of Australian Acoustical Consultants, 18 Sept 2013. https://s3.amazonaws.com/windaction/attachments/1998/Warpenius.pdf

  52. Schomer, P.D., Erdreich, J., Pamidighantam, P.K., Boyle, J.H.: A theory to explain some physiological effects of the infrasonic emissions at some wind farm sites. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137(3), 1356–1365 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Salt, A.N., Lichtenhan, J.T.: How does wind turbine noise affect people? Acoust. Today 10(1) (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Brownell, W.E.: What is electromotility?—the history of its discovery and its relevance to acoustics. Acoust. Today 13(1) (2017)

  55. Bolin, K., Bluhm, G., Eriksson, G., Nilsson, M.E.: Infrasound and low frequency noise from wind turbines: exposure and health effects. Environ. Res. Lett. 6, 035103 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Van den Berg, F.: An overview of residential health effects in relation to wind turbine noise. In: Fourth International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome, Italy 12–14 Apr 2011

  57. Pedersen, E.: Health aspects associated with wind turbine noise—results from three field studies. Noise Control Eng. J. 59(1), 47–53 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Shepherd, D., McBride, D., Welch, D., Dirks, K.N., Hill, E.M.: Evaluating the impact of wind turbine noise on health-related quality of life. Noise Health 13(54), 333–339 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Nissenbaum, M.A., Aramini, J.J., Hanning, C.D.: Effects of industrial wind turbine noise on sleep and health. Noise Health 14(60), 237–243 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Kuwano, S., Yano, T., Kageyama, T., Sueoka, S., Tachibana, H.: Social survey on wind turbine noise in Japan. Noise Control Eng. J. 62(6), 503–520 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Schomer, P., Fidell, S.: Introductory remarks for special issue on wind turbine noise. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 139(3), 1430 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Crichton, F., Dodd, G., Schmid, G., Gamble, G., Petrie, K.J.: Can expectations produce symptoms from infrasound associated with wind turbines. Health Psychol. 33(4), 360–364 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Crichton, F., Dodd, G., Schmid, G., Gamble, G., Petrie, K.J.: The power of positive and negative expectations to influence reported symptoms and mood during exposure to wind farm sound. Health Psychol. 33(12), 1588–1592 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Tonin, R., Brett, J., Colagiuri, B.: The effect of infrasound and negative expectations to adverse pathological symptoms from wind farms. J. Low Freq. Noise Vib. Act. Control 35(1), 77–90 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author declares no funding was provided in respect of the preparation of this article and the author has no association with any wind farm proponents.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Renzo Tonin & Associates (NSW) Pty Ltd, 1/418A Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia

    Renzo Tonin

Authors
  1. Renzo Tonin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Renzo Tonin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tonin, R. A Review of Wind Turbine-Generated Infrasound: Source, Measurement and Effect on Health. Acoust Aust 46, 69–86 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40857-017-0098-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40857-017-0098-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation