Our work with Wind Farm and Wind Turbine planning applications and noise nuisance
MAS Environmental have over 8 years of experience in dealing with wind farm / wind turbine noise. We have extensive experience in dealing with wind farm and wind turbine planning applications as well as measuring and assessing noise impact from operational wind farms and wind turbines. We have advised on and conducted research in to both the assessment methodologies used to address wind farm noise and the variety and impact of noise generated by operational turbines and wind farms. As well as expert witness work, MAS provides regular wind farm / wind turbine advice to a number of local authorities. A specialist one day wind farm course is regularly delivered and covers a range of background and associated issues based on our unique experience both in the assessment and measurement of wind farm noise. If you want to find out more about wind farm noise, additional information is also available on this site including appropriate conditions to hear / measure wind farm noise for yourself.
Publications
We have presented many papers on the subject of wind farm noise impact. Please visit our Publications and Papers page to access these.
Look for the above buttons on our listening room experience page to listen to audio recordings of wind farms played in time with the graphs of noise levels.
Our opinion
Wind farms have become an important part of the nations renewable energy strategy. If they are to become acceptable, we believe that any problems they cause need to be properly recognised and addressed. It is our opinion that the occurrence of indiscriminate, uncontrolled or ill-informed adverse effects on its neighbours, even in the wider interests of the nation is not an appropriate way forward.
What is the Listening Room Experience?
The listening room experience has been developed by MAS with the fundamental aim of broadening understanding of wind farm noise. MAS have spent many years researching, measuring and subjectively assessing wind farm noise. We are unique in the amount of time spent in the field measuring and predicting the occurrence of a phenomenon commonly referred to as amplitude modulation (AM) and excess amplitude modulation (EAM) noise. The listening room experience objectively presents the findings of this research so that those interested can listen to wind farm noise, AM and EAM thus widening the debated acceptability and impact of wind farm noise from the ill advised few to the better informed majority.
Reproducing the adverse effects of wind farm noise is difficult as any existing background noise in the surrounding environment may mask the very low background levels experienced in the bedroom found in many rural areas especially in terms of the low frequency content. Using headphones may work but many headphones distort the true sounds and create an unnatural feeling experience. This is why we use a specialist facility. With this warning in mind replaying the clips found on the website may not fully recreate the noise effects but it can give an indication. To fully experience how the noise impacts you would need to attend one of our specialist listening experiences.
