| Wind energy is form of renewable energy. | | | | and wind blowing through the trees. All |
| This 'new' source of energy is getting | | | | specifics can be read in this paper: The |
| more popular and not without reason. In | | | | Sound of High Winds: The Effect of |
| various parts in the world big wind | | | | Atmospheric Stability on Wind Turbine |
| turbine parks are placed by corporate | | | | Sound and Microphone Noise by Frits van |
| businesses yielding big quantities of | | | | den Berg. |
| energy that can be sold as environmental | | | | In Germany wind mills where placed in |
| friendly or 'green' energy. Wind energy | | | | the North Sea. Although the location for |
| is big business. Big companies profit | | | | this purpose is very good, the park |
| from renewable energy but also invest | | | | doesn't seem to produce the calculated |
| substantially in this new energy source. | | | | amount of energy. The windmills often |
| As mentioned before wind energy is very | | | | don't work properly due to malfunction. |
| environmental friendly. In the search | | | | Whilst the location is good and wind is |
| for alternatives for fossil fuels this | | | | blowing almost constantly the windmills |
| energy source turned out to be very | | | | often just don't work. The mills were |
| lucrative. This energy source makes us | | | | not moving at all and therefore not |
| less dependent on traditional fossil | | | | producing electricity. This project |
| fuels. It is important to lessen the | | | | turned out to be very disappointing, but |
| dependence on traditional fuels. There | | | | the project is still running and it is |
| are many reasons why here we will inform | | | | believed that it will function according |
| you with the most important once. The | | | | to plan in the future. |
| traditional fuels are predominantly in | | | | In the United States in Vermont the |
| the hands of countries in troublesome | | | | local residents were opposed by the |
| areas. Therefore you are not sure if the | | | | planning of a new wind turbine park. The |
| amount of crude oil you request will be | | | | locals felt that the wind towers would |
| delivered due to instability in the | | | | ruin their beautiful landscape. It is a |
| region. Also the price for these old | | | | landscape that many generations have |
| fuels is increasing and the current | | | | fought to preserve and the current |
| reserves are diminishing. But most of | | | | residents our proud of. It is hard to |
| all these old energy sources pollute our | | | | convince people to share their landscape |
| planet. But as always the beautiful | | | | with large wind towers that disturb |
| story of wind energy has not only | | | | these beautiful views. The plans for |
| positive sides. Let's look at some of | | | | building the windmills in Vermont are of |
| negative points as well. | | | | the table. |
| In the Netherlands a windmill park is | | | | Although is it a good and economical of |
| located in the north of the country. | | | | energy, wind energy is taking some real |
| Although the local people here were in | | | | blows. The advantages are clear and the |
| favour of the windmills they changed | | | | disadvantages are becoming clear as |
| their minds when the mills were actually | | | | well. When placed in a surrounding where |
| placed. The residents were complaining | | | | the landscape is cherished by the people |
| about a constant noise during the night | | | | who live there, one could argue not to |
| that could be compared to a 747 taking | | | | place them because it might ruining the |
| of. These complaints were not taking | | | | beautiful landscape and spoil the |
| serious by the corporate business | | | | beautiful views. Locals and tourist |
| owners. Therefore the residents decided | | | | would find these turbines just plain |
| to research their complaints by the | | | | ugly. Also it should be kept in mind |
| local university. The outcome of the | | | | that wind turbines with these sizes can |
| research was that the residents were | | | | produce a lot of noise during the |
| right and their complaints should be | | | | evening and night. Beside these |
| taken seriously. It turned out that the | | | | considerations it has shown that wind |
| windmills produced more noise in the | | | | energy is not always a big success and |
| evening and night than during daytime | | | | there is more progress to be made. |
| due to a higher turbulence at night | | | | Technically there are some steps to be |
| caused by very specific changes in the | | | | made, but a lot of people are working |
| upper air layers. During the day there | | | | hard in this. Let's hope that wind |
| is less turbulence and the sounds that | | | | energy is here to stay and we will find |
| are produced by the windmills are | | | | proper ways to utilise this form a way |
| diminished by the noise of local traffic | | | | that we all can benefit from it. |