Better Plan, Wisconsin

Here is the August diary from the Meyer family who live inside of an 86 turbine industrial wind farm in Dodge and Fond du Lac counties, here in Wisconsin. The turbines went on line during the first week of March of 2008.

Though August is one of our hottest months and a time when people use a lot of electricity for cooling their homes, August is a month when this wind farm seems to be at its most inactive. Read about the seven days when few or none of the turbines were turning at all.

The wind is unreliable, but we know the sun will come up each day. On-site solar, manure digesters, and biomass are much better renewable choices for Wisconsin, which only has class 2 wind-power over most of the state. Class 4 wind power is considered to be the minimum for electrical generation from wind turbines. So why put turbines where there is little wind?

Our tax dollars are the reason. Wind developers sell us an inefficient, destructive, and unreliable means of generating electricity in exchange for our tax dollars. Even if there isn't enough wind to generate reliable electricity in our state, wind developers have found their reliable money generator.

Because wind turbines rely on fossil-fuel burning power plants in order to function, because they draw a lot of electricity to be able to power up, power down, and heat or cool engine elements, and because those fossil-fuel burning power plants don't power down or up to compensate for the wind's fluctuation but keep right on burning fossil fuel, there are more and more questions being raised about the ability of wind energy to reduce CO2 emissions. There are a lot of questions about how "green" industrial scale wind turbines really are. There are serious concerns about the impact of turbines on wild life. And of course there are the documented health concerns of those living with turbines sited much to close to their homes. For reasons of health and safety, recent studies suggest turbines should be sited no closer than 1.5 miles from a residence.

So when it comes to industrial wind farms in Wisconsin, as far as we can tell, wind developers may be the only winners.

READ MORE: New York Times: Wind Power May not Lower Pollution, Study Suggests

BROWNSVILLE WIND TURBINE NOISE LOG AUG 6-AUG 31, 2008

(Download entire diary by clicking here)

August 6 2008
        5:10 AM  Wind NW fairly quiet. Turbines turning slow.
      11:50 AM Turbines turning slow with low volume hum.
        4:45 PM Wind W slight. Turbine #4 annoying jet sounds.
      10:35 PM Getting out of the car in the garage I can hear turbines making the loud jet flying over sound. Wind is from the    West. I hear #6 louder than #4. Turbine 6 is ¾ of a mile from the house.

August 7 –
         6:50 AM Almost no wind. Turbine 4 humming and whooshing away. This is annoying and aggravating and turbine 4 is 1560’ away, more than 1.5 times the state’s model. Also remember I have pine trees and the neighbor’s woods to suppress the sounds. What is it like for those with few or no trees 1000’ away or those who signed off and are about 600’ away? Oh yes, they have complained to me too.
        6:10 PM wind NW slow and pretty quiet.
        9:00 PM Wind NE 11rpms

August 8 –
    7:10 AM Wind N calm. About ½ of the 86 turbines turning slow. Turbine 4 turning slow but Quiet. I think that means lots of dark homes.
    8:40 AM All 86 turbines are still. Wow! What peace plus I can hear the beautiful songs of the birds ☺ When the turbines are turning, especially when loud I don’t hear the birds, however when the turbines are still or quiet I hear them.
   5:10 PM Turning slow.
  10:40 PM Turbine 4 barely turning.

August 9 –
    6:45 AM Turning slow @ 11 rpms.
    8:50 AM Most turbines stopped.
    10:30 AM Turning slow.
    3:45 PM Wind NW 11rpms and fairly quiet.
    4:45 PM A friend with a sound meter 45dba 65dbc or 20 difference where 15 is “acceptable”. This means low vibration sound is affecting my family and explains why my wife and 13 year old son are not sleeping well.
    10:30 PM Slow and quiet.

August 10 –
     6:20 AM Wind N 5knts. I have been calling the Fond du Lac airport for wind speed. The
    airport is 7 miles north of the house so is just an indication of the wind speed and is knots
    rather than miles per hour. Turbine 4 is turning at 12.6 rpms. I can hear the whoosh, whoosh,
    whoosh sound.
    11:30 AM Wind N and the sound is louder than earlier. I can hear #4 from the
    kitchen with the door open.
     4:25 PM Wind N a short while ago. I could hear #4 while making
    pizza. Turning 12.6 rpms.
    11:20 PM Wind calm turning slow and quietly.

August 11 –
     5:15 AM Wind calm. All or most turbines not turning.
    10:45 AM Wind NE Maybe ½ the turbines are turning quietly.
    5:30 PM Turbines not turning. Wind calm.
    11:10 PM Wind S calm @ 13.2 rpms. Little noise.

August 12 –
    Wind SW Calm 10.6rpms. I hear the hum of #4.
    8:00AM My wife has been staying with her father the last 4 nights comforting him in the last days of his life. Last night she was home and just told me that in town she did not have ringing in her ears, but last night it returned☹  Yes I believe it is related to the industrial wind turbines located 1560’, 1840’ and ¾ mile from our house especially since I now know the C weighted sound is more than 15.
11:05 AM calm. ALL turbines still. At first I thought the last few weeks are fairly quiet or not much sound to report, however now I realize in the summer there is very little wind, therefore very little wind generated electricity. In the winter when there is wind there is less demand for electricity and again no need for wind generated power. From what I understand the sound will be worse (how can it be worse or more annoying and unhealthy) in winter because there will be no leaves plus snow on the ground will enhance the loud turbine generated sounds and vibrations.
    12:40 PM All turbines silent (not turning). 
    10:30 PM Wind calm 11rpms fairly quiet.

August 13 –
    5:10 AM  Calm. Turbines not turning.
    12:20 PM Most turbines not turning.
    1:10 PM Turbine 4, 10.6 rpms.
    11:30 PM Wind calm. Almost full moon. Coming home from the Dodge County fair no turbines moving.

August 14 –
     8:40 AM Wind NE calm @ 11rpms. Slow and quiet.
    11:30 PM Wind NE turning 14.3 rpm Some sound but not loud.
 
August 15 –
    6:50 AM Wind NE at 6 knots, 13 rpms. Low noise volume.
    9:00 AM Many of the turbines are stopped so no sound…..or electricity.
    9:55 PM No wind or 0 rpms (not turning). We drove through the turbine farm with the full moon and did not see ANY turning.

August 16 –
    6:15 AM Turning slow and quiet.
    2:30 PM. I can hear hum of turbine 4 and jet sound of Turbine 6.
    11:30 PM  Loud jet sound from turbine 4 and loud ripping jet sound from turbine 6. Wind is SW 15.3 rpms. This is the loudest sound in a few days.

August 17 –
    6:50 AM Wind W-SW calm. 11 rpms. Humming or rubbing sound.
     9:35 AM Wind SW    calm. 6knots @ the airport. 11 rpms. Turning very slow with little sound. 1:40 PM Wind W 9 knots 13.3 rpms. I hear loud jet sound from turbine 73. Turbine 4 is not     quite as loud. Turbine 73 is 2480’ away from my house.
    10:05 PM Wind SW 15.6 rpms Tonight the air is filled with turbine sounds. Turbine 4 jet flying over sound, #’s 6 and 73 can also be heard.
    11:05 PM I can hear turbines from my computer, yes inside the house. Turbine 4 sound like a jet ready to take off☹

August 18 –
    6:25 AM Wind SW. Turbine 4 jet sound. Turbine 6 louder with ripping of the air sound.
    8:30 AM Wind SW 12.6 rpms.
    10:30 PM Wind E. Not much sound. Turbine 73 has now taken the place of the loudest turbine.The air seems to be filled with sound from all around. In the house there is sound, but like outside it seems all over or which turbine is making the sound I’m not sure.

August 19 –
    6:30 AM Wind NE 5 knots. 11 rpms. It is quiet this morning. Turning slow.
    9:50 AM Wind NE 11 rpms. Quiet.
     3:45 PM Wind E calm 11rpms. Humming sound from turbine 4. 
    5:50 PM Wind E, 5 knots, 11 rpms. Slow and fairly quiet.

August 20 –
     5:10 AM Wind SE 8 knots, 18.3 rpms. Low jet sound.
    8:20 AM Wind E 8 knots, 11 rpms Not much noise.
    3:20 PM Wind E. the sound is picking up or getting louder.
    9:30 PM wind SE15 rpms. Jet sound.
    11:20 PM Wind SE jet sound from turbines 4 & 6. I just received a new Extech sound meter and shows 46.5dba.

August 21 –
    6:55 AM Wind SE @ 3 knots. 14.5 rpms with humming sound.
    11:20 PM Wind SE The  sounds are getting louder tonight. I can hear turbines 4 & 6 to the north like a jet flying over.To the south there is so much sound it is difficult to know for sure which turbines I hear. Turbine 73 for sure plus 74a probably or 70 or 72a. Sound level at the back of the house is 46dba-63dbc and at the front of the house 49dba-66dbc. Today my wife told me she had a difficult time going to sleep and that from 2:10 – 3:20 AM she was up reading a book.

August 22 –
    5:10 AM Wind SE 17 rpms. Jet sound. I hear turbines 4, 6, 73 and 74a.
    7:35 AM Continue to hear the 4 turbines mentioned before turning @ 13.23 rpms. Still the jet sound, not quite as loud as earlier.

August 24 – The last 3 days we were to northern WI (Dunbar) 4-wheeling. It was so beautiful and  peaceful camping in the forest of Marinette County. There were not wind turbines or jet sounds filling the air like here at home.
    1:30 PM Wind N-NE. As I got out of the truck there was that annoying, aggravating turbine noise. It was not as loud as sometimes, yet so annoying after being in a wonderful, peaceful, non skyline polluted area all weekend.
    3:30 PM Wind NE calm11 rpms. Sounds not too loud.
    10:50 PM Wind calm. 11.3 rpms. Low hum for sound.

August 25 –
    5:10 AM Wind NE calm @ 11 rpms. Turbines turning slow and quiet.
    1:50 PM Wind NE calm @ 11 rpms. Turning slow and quiet.
    8:25 PM Wind NE 3 knots @ 11.3 rpms, slow and quiet all day.
    11:35 PM Wind E 3 knots. Turbine 4 is louder than earlier and turbine 73 jet flying over sound. Of course you remember turbine 73 is 2480’ away or almost half a mile.

August 26 –
     6:50 AM Wind E slight breeze @ 16.3 rpms. Some whooshing sound and hum.
    8:35 AM 13 rpms, wind E.
    10:05 PM Wind E Turbines 4 and 73 are giving off the jet flying over sound.
     Turbine 73 is louder, 44dba-63dbc. Our son has already been down to tell me he is not able to go to sleep and is making threats as to what he would like to do to the turbines and has names for them that he don’t want to tell because he knows he would get in trouble for swearing. If you have not been reading along turbine 73 is 2480 feet away from his bedroom.

August 27 –
    5:35 AM Wind SE calm. Turbines 73 & 4 are loud. Turbine 4 (1560’) 47.7dba – 61.3dbc with
    a loud jet sound @ 18 rpms.
    2:30 PM Wind SW with whooshing sound.
    11:30 PM Wind S calmTurbines 4 & 73 jet sound, not real loud, but annoying and I can hear as soon as I step on the porch. Turbine 4 45.6dba – 64.7dbc. Turbine 73 42.9 dba – 55 dbc. #73 is 2480’ from house.

August 28 –
    7:15 AM Wind S calm, turbine 4 46.5dba – 61.6dbc. Turbines 4 & 73 sound like they are fighting with each other as to who can be louder. Really this is far from the loudest sound the turbines make.
    8:00 AM Wind S, 5 knots. The air is filled with turbine sounds from a jet flying over to whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. It is nauseating today. It is difficult to work outside in the yard. I don’t get headaches very often, but I feel one coming on today. Turbine 4, 17rpms, 45.7dba – 61dbc. Turbine 73 14.6rpms, 47.4dba – 63.9dbc. I can hear the turbine noise in the computer room as I write this. Keep in mind turbine 4 is 1560’ and turbine 73 is 2480’ from my house. I can also hear turbine 6 and others this morning. The air seems dense with clouds. My13 year old son just got up which is 11:50 AM. He told me the turbines were very loud last night and he was awake every hour. He recited each hour by number. Now he also has a headache.
    9:35 PM Wind calm All the turbines I can see are not turning.
    10:10 PM Not turning

August 29 –
    7:05 AM Wind NW 3 knots, seem calm. 11.6rpms turning slow and mostly quiet other than a hum.
    5:30 PM About half of the 86 industrial wind turbines are not turning.
    8:00 PM Wind SW 3 knots really calm. 11 rpms. Turbine 4 just humming.
    10:15 PM calm. Turbines turned SW grinding hum, but can be heard on our patio 1560’ away.

August 30 –
    6:55 AM Wind SW calm, 14.3 rpms. Turbine 4 slow, humming and whooshing sound interrupting the quiet morning while sitting on the patio.
    8:10 AM wind SW calm, 11 rpms, low humming, but can hear in the kitchen while making salsa.
    10:20 AM It is calm, quiet and peaceful. None of the 86 industrial turbines are turning nor have been for almost an hour☺
    11:35 AM Calm and peaceful☺ None turning.
    3:05 PM wind SW calm @ 11 rpms with low hum
    8:10 PM calm. The turbines are turned in many different directions and not all are not turning. Again, thank goodness for alternative and EFFICIENT electricity production from COAL, OIL, NUCLEAR AND NATURAL GAS.
    11:45 PM wind S, calm @ rpms, slow turning with low hum.

August 31 – Wind SW calm. Turbines turning @ 11 rpms with low hum.
    9:35 AM calm, 0 rpms from all 86 turbines (that means they all are not turning)
    4:15 PM Wind S, 5 knots, 14.6 rpms. Fairly quiet.
    7:40 PM wind SE 5 knots 14.6 rpms. Whooshing sound.
    11:00 PM Wind SE slight, but I can hear turbines 4 , 73 & 74a.