Wind Turbines and Neighbours

Wind Turbine Impacts on Neighbours

Community Information MeetingApril 3, 2013

Wind Turbine Impacts on Neighbours

• Topics

– Shadow Flicker

– Ice Throw

– Fire/High Angle Rescue

April 3, 2013 Elma-Mornington Concerned Citizens

Shadow Flicker

• Intermittent shadows cast by a moving object Daily Impact

20 – 30 minutes depending on distance Sunrise or sunset depending on location

• Extremely annoying Interrupts sleep or evenings outdoors Difficult to block as caused by a very tall object Autistic children are extremely sensitive


European RegulationGermany 30 hours/year or 8hours/year with cloud coverEngland 30 hours/yearN. Ireland 30 hours/yearBelgium 30 hours/yearIreland 30 hours/year + 30 minutes/day or 10 blade diameter

setbackScotland 10 blade diameter setbackSpain Regulation not necessaryThe Netherlands 5 hours 40 minutes/year Denmark 10 hours/year with appropriate cloud coverCanada/USA No regulation

• Simpler definition recommended most of these definitions need detailed assessments to determine compliance

Note: 30 Hours per Year = 60 to 90 days per year


Area Affected by Shadow Flicker

.Turbine8 Blade Diameters

135° East135° West


Blue arcs show a radius of 8 blade diameters (0.9 km) and extend 125 degrees east and west of north.

Amherst Island Wind ProjectNoise and Potential Shadow Flicker


Municipal By-law Proposed

• North Perth developing a by-law to regulate shadow flicker Prohibit all moving shadows beyond the property

owned by originating landowner No allowances for any shadow flicker Using ongoing municipality’s power to regulate

‘public nuisances’ Enforcement triggered by complaint

Draft coming to Council on April 8


Fire Safety• Fire do happen in wind turbines• Project located in a high density rural area and

insufficient separation presents risk to:– Homes– Farm buildings/equipment– Crops/forests

• Invenergy has provided no detailed emergency plans. Call 911 service or James Murphy in Toronto

• North Perth requested a realistic plan to address fires in turbines


Burnt Turbine North Of Goderich


Invenergy California Ridge Turbine


High Angle Rescue• Turbines are work places where accidents and health

incidents will occur and ‘High angle rescue’ services are needed to extract people from these locations

• Not available in North Perth or Perth East; and delivery from urban centres will not meet required response times

• Not realistic to upgrade local emergency services to deliver services.

• North Perth requested a realistic plan to address high angle rescue plan for the turbines


Ice Throw From Turbine Blades• Dr. John Harrison, Queens University

– “Consultant models make no sense”• Ice does not come away in cube shapes• The drag force does not act on the front face• The amount of ice is under-estimated

• Modeled Realistic Conditions– Ice in thin sheets– Sheet aligns with speed relative to the air– Drag force acts over the plane surfaces– Drag force opposes the relative motion– There is a wind-speed gradient


Projected Maximum Ice Throw

Results Parallel Safety Zones Recommended by Equipment Manufacturers


Ice Throw Concerns• Ice throw will happen and will affect snowmobilers

and hunters using properties around turbines• Automated shutdown triggered after ice thrown from

one blade • Provincial standard insufficient – 10 metres plus

blade length = 60 meters from property lines• Equipment manufacturer specify safety zones of

about 450 metres – extend beyond leased property• Safety plan requested to address issue throw• Issue can be raised by neighbouring property owners


Elma-Mornington Concerned Citizens

Community Information MeetingApril 3, 2013

Elma-Mornington Concerned Citizens

April 3, 2013

We Need Your Help

• Sign Letters Before You Leave– Protect Farmland– Livestock Producers– Health Issues– Atwood Resident

• Write your own letter• Volunteer• Take a sign

Committee Contacts

North Perth• Ralph Coneybeare – 519-292-0905• Cecil Siebenga – 519-356-2844

Perth East• Gary Elg – 519-635-8043• Ross Stone - 519-580-3181

News & Politics

Wind Turbines and Neighbours