Top Five Common Myths About Wind

• 01

  Health
   

  In 2018 the World Health Organisation said it found no evidence or ‘low quality’ evidence of any negative health impact from wind turbine noise.1 A recent comprehensive review commissioned by the British Government found no evidence that modern wind turbines cause direct physical harm, such as heart problems, inner‑ear damage or other medical conditions.2 These findings are confirmed by decades of peer-reviewed, independent, research.

• 02

  Sound
   

  The blades of wind turbines make a sound as they pass through the air. Every effort is made to reduce this as much as possible. When planning a wind farm extensive studies are carried out by developers to identify how best to locate turbines to eliminate or minimise any sounds.
  
  Currently, the guidelines for wind turbine sound levels in Ireland are set between 35 and 45 decibels depending on the time of day and the level of background noise. These are among the strictest limits in Europe today and turbines must also be located at least 500 metres from the nearest home.
  
  To put this in context the fridge in your kitchen would typically generate a sound level of around 50 decibels while 40 decibels would be the noise in a quiet office.3

• 03

  Property
   

  There is absolutely no research that we have seen which shows that wind farms affect property prices in Ireland. A major recent study in Scotland, a country of a similar size and a similar scale wind industry to Ireland, found no evidence of a negative impact on property prices.4

• 04

  Tourism
   

  There is no evidence that the development of wind energy has had a negative impact on tourism in Ireland. Between 2008 and 2017, a period when the majority of the country’s wind farms were constructed, the number of overseas visitors to Ireland rose by 21.6 per cent.
  
  In Kerry, the county with the most wind energy in Ireland, there was a 62 per cent increase in overseas visitors between 2009 and 2017.5,6
  
  Reports carried out for the Scottish government in 20087 and 20128 both found that wind farms have little or no negative impact on tourism in Scotland. In fact, wind farms are increasingly destinations with more than 45,000 visitors to Mountlucas wind farm in Offaly last year.

• 05

  Environment
   

  Electricity generated by a wind turbine does not produce any CO2 emissions.
  
  Over the lifetime of the turbine, emissions are caused by its construction, transport, installation and decommissioning. The amount of CO2 a turbine generates over its lifetime must be less than the CO2 emissions it displaces from the electricity system. The length of time for it to achieve this is known as the ‘carbon payback period’.
  
  A detailed 2015 study found that the ‘carbon payback’ for an onshore wind farm ranges from six months to two years and for an offshore wind farm – which are more efficient at generating electricity – from 5 months to one year.9
  
  Before getting planning permission for a wind farm a developer must prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment Report.
  
  This explains what impact the project, if it went ahead, would have on the environment. If any negative impacts are identified the developer must explain how they are going to avoid or protect against these. Only if the planning authority is satisfied can permission be given for the project.