Over the last five years an enormous number of wind turbines have been installed in Europe, bringing wind energy into public awareness. However, its further development is restricted mainly by public complaints caused by visual impact and noise. The European Commission has therefore funded a number of research projects in the field of wind turbine noise within the JOULE program. This book presents the most relevant results of these projects. The book addresses all relevant aspects of wind turbine noise, namely: noise reduction, noise propagation, noise measurement, and an introduction to aeroacoustics. It may serve as a first reference in the field of wind turbine noise for researchers, planners, and manufacturers.
A comprehensive guide to wind farm noise prediction, measurement, assessment, control and effects on people Wind Farm Noise covers all aspects associated with the generation, measurement, propagation, regulation and adverse health effects of noise produced by large horizontal-axis wind turbines of the type used in wind farms. The book begins with a brief history of wind turbine development and the regulation of their noise at sensitive receivers. Also included is an introductory chapter on the fundamentals of acoustics relevant to wind turbine noise so that readers are well prepared for understanding later chapters on noise measurements, noise generation mechanisms, noise propagation modelling and the assessment of the noise at surrounding residences. Key features: Potential adverse health effects of wind farm noise are discussed in an objective way. Means for calculating the noise at residences due to a wind farm prior to construction are covered in detail along with uncertainty estimates. The effects of meteorological conditions and other influences, such as obstacles, ground cover and atmospheric absorption, on noise levels at residences are explained. Quantities that should be measured as well as how to best measure them in order to properly characterise wind farm noise are discussed in detail. Noise generation mechanisms and possible means for their control are discussed as well as aspects of wind farm noise that still require further research to be properly understood. The book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic, containing both introductory and advanced level material.
A comprehensive guide to wind farm noise prediction, measurement, assessment, control and effects on people Wind Farm Noise covers all aspects associated with the generation, measurement, propagation, regulation and adverse health effects of noise produced by large horizontal-axis wind turbines of the type used in wind farms. The book begins with a brief history of wind turbine development and the regulation of their noise at sensitive receivers. Also included is an introductory chapter on the fundamentals of acoustics relevant to wind turbine noise so that readers are well prepared for understanding later chapters on noise measurements, noise generation mechanisms, noise propagation modelling and the assessment of the noise at surrounding residences. Key features: Potential adverse health effects of wind farm noise are discussed in an objective way. Means for calculating the noise at residences due to a wind farm prior to construction are covered in detail along with uncertainty estimates. The effects of meteorological conditions and other influences, such as obstacles, ground cover and atmospheric absorption, on noise levels at residences are explained. Quantities that should be measured as well as how to best measure them in order to properly characterise wind farm noise are discussed in detail. Noise generation mechanisms and possible means for their control are discussed as well as aspects of wind farm noise that still require further research to be properly understood. The book provides comprehensive coverage of the topic, containing both introductory and advanced level material.
The generation of electricity by wind energy has the potential to reduce environmental impacts caused by the use of fossil fuels. Although the use of wind energy to generate electricity is increasing rapidly in the United States, government guidance to help communities and developers evaluate and plan proposed wind-energy projects is lacking. Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects offers an analysis of the environmental benefits and drawbacks of wind energy, along with an evaluation guide to aid decision-making about projects. It includes a case study of the mid-Atlantic highlands, a mountainous area that spans parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. This book will inform policy makers at the federal, state, and local levels.
Noise from wind turbines is a major constraining factor in the location of turbines. A recent survey in the Netherlands showed that sound was the aspect of wind turbines which led to most complaints, generally greater compared with other sound sources of equal level. Investigation, understanding and reduction of noise from wind turbines is a necessary progression in the development of this sector of renewable energy.The book, authored by an international group of experts, reviews current knowledge, providing an objective and accurate assessment of all aspects of wind turbine noise.
This handbook provides both a comprehensive overview and deep insights on the state-of-the-art methods used in wind turbine aerodynamics, as well as their advantages and limits. The focus of this work is specifically on wind turbines, where the aerodynamics are different from that of other fields due to the turbulent wind fields they face and the resultant differences in structural requirements. It gives a complete picture of research in the field, taking into account the different approaches which are applied. This book would be useful to professionals, academics, researchers and students working in the field.
As environmental concerns have focused attention on the generation of electricity from clean and renewable sources wind energy has become the world's fastest growing energy source. The Wind Energy Handbook draws on the authors' collective industrial and academic experience to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of wind energy research and provide a comprehensive treatment of wind energy for electricity generation. Features include: An authoritative overview of wind turbine technology and wind farm design and development In-depth examination of the aerodynamics and performance of land-based horizontal axis wind turbines A survey of alternative machine architectures and an introduction to the design of the key components Description of the wind resource in terms of wind speed frequency distribution and the structure of turbulence Coverage of site wind speed prediction techniques Discussions of wind farm siting constraints and the assessment of environmental impact The integration of wind farms into the electrical power system, including power quality and system stability Functions of wind turbine controllers and design and analysis techniques With coverage ranging from practical concerns about component design to the economic importance of sustainable power sources, the Wind Energy Handbook will be an asset to engineers, turbine designers, wind energy consultants and graduate engineering students.
A practical, authoritative guide to the assessment of wind resources for utility-scale wind projects authored by a team of experts from a leading renewable energy consultancy The successful development of wind energy projects depends on an accurate assessment of where, how often, and how strongly the wind blows. A mistake in this stage of evaluation can cause severe financial losses and missed opportunities for developers, lenders, and investors. Wind Resource Assessment: A Practical Guide to Developing a Wind Project shows readers how to achieve a high standard of resource assessment, reduce the uncertainty associated with long-term energy performance, and maximize the value of their project assets. Beginning with the siting, installation, and operation of a high-quality wind monitoring program, this book continues with methods of data quality control and validation, extrapolating measurements from anemometer height to turbine height, adjusting short-term observations for historical climate conditions, and wind flow modeling to account for terrain and surface conditions. In addition, Wind Resource Assessment addresses special topics such as: Worker safety Data security Remote sensing technology (sodar and lidar) Offshore resource assessment Impacts of climate change Uncertainty estimation Plant design and energy production estimatio Filled with important information ranging from basic fundamentals of wind to cutting-edge research topics, and accompanied by helpful references and discussion questions, this comprehensive text designed for an international audience is a vital reference that promotes consistent standards for wind assessment across the industry.
Noise from cars, trains, and aeroplanes can be heard at large distances from the source. Accurate predictions of the loudness of the noise require accurate computations of sound propagation in the atmosphere. This book describes models that can be used for these computations. The models take into account complex effects of the atmosphere and the ground surface on sound waves, including the effects of wind and temperature distributions, atmospheric turbulence, irregular terrain, and noise barriers. The main text of the book focuses on physical effects in atmospheric acoustics. The effects are illustrated by many numerical examples. The main text requires a very limited mathematical background from the reader; detailed mathematical descriptions of the models, developed from the basic principles of acoustics, are presented in appendices. Models for moving media are compared with models that are based on the effective sound speed approach. Both two-dimensional models and three-dimensional models are presented. As meteorological effects play an important role in atmospheric acoustics, selected topics from boundary layer meteorology and the theory of turbulence are also presented.
