Windmill noise annoyance, visual aesthetics, and attitudes towards renewable energy sources

A small focused socio-acoustic after-study was undertaken after local health officials demanded a health impact study to look into neighbour noise complaints. The Windmill park consists of 31 turbines and is located in the South of Norway affecting 179 properties. Simple exposure effect-relationships indicate stronger reactions to windmills and windmill noise than shown internationally, with the caveat that the sample size is small (n=90) and responses are colored by the conflict situation. Pulsating swishing sounds and turbine engine hum are the main causes of noise annoyance. About 60 per cent of those who participated in the survey were of the opinion that windmills degraded the landscape aesthetically, and were far from convinced that land- based windmills are desirable as a renewable energy source in Norway. The results suggest that attitudes play an important role in addition to visual aesthetics in determining the acceptance of windmills and resulting noise annoyance.