(AWEA Press Release) – A multidisciplinary panel has concluded that the sounds generated by wind turbines are not harmful to human health, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced today.
Comprised of medical doctors, audiologists, and acoustical professionals from the United States, Canada, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, the panel undertook extensive review, analysis, and discussion of the large body of peer-reviewed literature, specifically with regard to sound produced by wind turbines. The expert panel was established by AWEA and the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) to review all current literature available on the issue of perceived health effects of wind turbines.
“The panel’s multidisciplinary approach helped to fully explore the many published scientific reports related to the potential impact of wind turbines on people’s health,” said Dr. Robert J. McCunney, one of the authors of the study and an occupational/environmental medicine physician and research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “There is no evidence that the sounds, nor the sub-audible vibrations, emitted by wind turbines have any direct adverse physiological effects on humans.”
“The objective of the panel was to provide an authoritative, scientific reference document for those making legislative and regulatory decisions about wind turbine developments,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “This study is another indication that wind is one of the most environmentally benign sources of electricity available.”
Top findings include:
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- “The sounds emitted by wind turbines are not unique. There is no reason to believe, based on the levels and frequencies of the sounds, that they could plausibly have direct adverse physiological effects.”
- If sound levels from wind turbines were harmful, it would be impossible to live in a city given the sound levels normally present in urban environments.
- “Sub-audible, low frequency sound and infrasound from wind turbines do not present a risk to human health.”
- “Some people may be annoyed at the presence of sound from wind turbines. Annoyance is not a pathological entity.”
For more than thirty years, people have been living near the more than 50,000 wind turbines operating in Europe and the more than 30,000 in North America. The vast majority of people have had a positive experience living near wind turbines, with no ill effects.
An executive summary of the report can be accessed here (PDF, 81KB).
The full report can be accessed here (PDF, 440KB).
(U.S. DOE Press Release) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on December 15 an agreement with U.S. dairy producers to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 while turning manure into electricity using anaerobic digesters. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy , the USDA, and dairy producers, the groups agreed to work together to reach the target. USDA will contribute by undertaking research initiatives, allowing implementation flexibility, and enhancing efforts to market anaerobic digesters to dairy producers.
Anaerobic digester technology is a proven method of converting waste products, such as manure, into electricity. The technology utilizes generators that are fueled by methane captured from the animal manure. Currently, only about 2% of U.S. dairies that are candidates for a profitable digester are using the technology, even though dairy operations with anaerobic digesters routinely generate enough electricity to power 200 homes. Through the agreement, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will increase the number of anaerobic digesters supported by USDA programs. Beyond promoting the digesters, the agreement will encourage the research and development of new technologies to help dairies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. See the USDA press release and the description of anaerobic digesters on DOE’s Energy Savers Web site.
(From UCS Greentips) – In the November issue of Greentips we told you about the $1,500 federal tax credit for improving your home’s energy efficiency. To complement your energy conservation efforts you can tap into renewable energy to provide heat, hot water, and electricity—and save money in the process.
As part of the federal stimulus package, the government is offering a 30 percent tax credit for the cost and installation of eligible products “placed in service,” or put into use, in existing, new, or non-primary residences between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2016. Unlike the energy efficiency tax credit, there is no upper limit to the renewable energy credit you can receive (unless otherwise noted below) and you can carry forward any unclaimed portion of the tax credit to future years through 2016. And best of all, the two tax credits are separate so you can be eligible for both at the same time.
Here is a brief summary of basic eligibility requirements; the Energy Star website (see the Related Resources) provides more detailed information as well as resources to help you choose the right products for your home.
- Geothermal heat pumps. These highly efficient systems use the ground’s thermal energy (instead of fossil fuels) to heat and cool your home. All Energy Star-rated units qualify (including closed loop, open loop, and direct expansion systems), and water-to-water geothermal heat pumps purchased after December 1, 2009, are eligible as well.
- Solar panels. All solar photovoltaic systems are eligible as long as they provide electricity to your home and meet applicable fire and electrical codes.
- Solar water heaters. All Energy Star-rated units are eligible. However, qualifying systems must be certified by the Solar Rating Certification Corporation, a third-party performance-rating system. (For a list of eligible products, see the Related Resources.) They must also provide hot water only for use inside your house (not for swimming pools or hot tubs), and at least half of the energy used by the system to heat the water must be solar-generated.
- Residential small wind turbines. Eligible systems require a maximum energy output no higher than 100 kilowatts.
- Fuel cells. Fuel cells generate electricity from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, with water as the sole byproduct. Eligible systems must have an efficiency of at least 30 percent and a capacity of at least 0.5 kilowatt. The 30 percent tax credit is capped at $500 per 0.5 kilowatt of power capacity, and only systems installed in primary residences qualify.
States and utilities may offer additional incentives for the products listed above or those excluded from the federal tax program, allowing you to save even more money. To learn more about these incentives, or to read last month’s Greentips on the energy efficiency tax credit, see the Related Resources.
