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Health and Safety Issues
Do wind turbines pose a public safety risk?
No. In the 25+ years that commercial wind turbines have been operating, and with more than 68,000 wind
turbines installed around the world, no member of the public
has ever been harmed by the normal operation of wind turbines. (www.embracewind.com/myths.html)
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Does "infrasound" from wind turbines pose a health risk?
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Do wind turbines shed ice?
When the turbine is operating, condensation on the blades is subject to considerable centrifugal force, and so ice rarely builds up on turbine blades. Any ice that might form on the blade of an operating turbine will tend to be in thin sheets that fall near the base of the turbine tower. If a large enough amount of ice forms on the turbine while it is operating, the turbine's automatic controls will cause it to slow and then shut down. Ice generally forms on wind turbine blades when the turbine is shut down, and ice is removed before the start up of the turbine. Click on the links to see what South Bay Insurance and Fox Insurance have to say about wind turbines and ice. (These letters are also posted on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Wind Energy Toolkit).
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Does wind turbine construction have any effect on an area's groundwater resource?
No. There is no evidence to suggest that wind turbine construction has any effects on an area's groundwater resource. Click on the link to read AWS Truewind's March 2006 letter on
Wind Energy Construction and Ground Water Impacts.
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Do wind turbines negatively affect milk production?
No. Farmers in New York and elsewhere report
no change whatsoever in quantity or quality of milk production. This
includes a report by Carl and Bonnie Stone, Madison, New York
Windfarm and Scott and Donna Griffin at the Fenner Wind Project
and Madison Wind Project in New York. (Columbia University, Jeffrey
Novich, et. al., Winds of Change)
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Do wind turbines
generate electromagnetic interference and disturb signals from local communication systems?
Click on the link to read AWS Truewind's March 2006 letter on Wind Energy and Electromagentic Interference.
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Do wind turbines cause "stray voltage"?
No. "Stray voltage" is caused by an elevated voltage on the neutral wire on an electric distribution line, or an elevated voltage on the neutral wire on an electric customer's wires, or both. It is not caused by wind turbine generators, and we are unaware of any documented evidence that it is. Forturnately, "stray voltage" is easily prevented through proper wiring practices, and can be easily measured and eliminated by qualified professionals if it occurs.
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Will lightning harm the turbine?
No. The turbines are designed to withstand lighting strikes. GE turbine blades have lightning arresters implanted in them, and these are grounded.
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