Julian Lamy, a recent PhD graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s Engineering and Public Policy Department, discusses where most people prefer to have wind energy projects located

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Siting wind farms requires choosing a proper location by American Wind Energy Association

Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy by the Department of Energy

Frequently Asked Questions About Windy Energy by the Department of Energy

Transcript

HOST: Where do most people prefer to have wind energy projects located? On this week’s Energy Bite, Julian Lamy, a recent PhD graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, has some answers.

JULIAN: We systematically tested with surveys whether people care more about having a wind project in a distant town compared to in their community. Surprisingly, we found that most people prefer having a wind project in their town, so long as there are economic benefits such as reduced energy bills and increased tax revenue to the local government. There is however a slight preference to avoid living within 1 mile of the project, but otherwise, people seem OK with a project in their town.

HOST: What is the minimum safe distance from a house to a wind turbine?

JULIAN: In Massachusetts, we found that a wind project must be built more than 1000 feet from residential buildings. This is to prevent damage due to freak accidents. Furthermore, it’s required that noise from the rotating blades at nearby homes can’t exceed 10 decibels above existing ambient noise levels. To put this in perspective, 30 decibels is a like a quiet whisper in a library.

HOST: Do you prefer wind projects be located in a certain area? Take our poll, see the results, and ask your energy questions at Energy Bite dot org.