Noise from the operation of WEFs can be a hazard. This includes noise from wind turbine operation and preventative maintenance activities, and noise that may result from equipment malfunction. 

Any assessment of hazards and risks should focus on audible sound and consider – in addition to the usual operating wind turbine noise – any character that may increase its annoyance, and any noise emission that is unusual or out of the ordinary that might indicate a need for maintenance.

These hazards should be appropriately identified for each WEF and the risk of harm from noise must be minimised.

Individuals have different sensitivity to sound. Their personal experience is based on a range of factors, including:

• perception of their hearing
• their broader environment or context (including background noise)
• their tolerance or acceptance of sound in their environment.

The risk of harm from noise from wind turbine operation is similar to the risks from other types of audible noise – including annoyance. Annoyance is a broad term that encompasses the negative emotions and reactions that occur in response to the noise or its source. Non-routine operations at wind energy facilities may pose different risks.

Recent reviews on the health effects of wind turbine noise found there is evidence of an increased risk of annoyance (WHO 2018; Michaud, Keith, Feder and Voicescu 2016; Davy, Burgemeister and Hillman 2018), (Davy, Burgemeister, Hillman and Carlile 2020). 

When reviewing the possible perceptual and physiological effects of wind turbine infrasound and low frequency noise, the Australian Government’s Independent Scientific Committee on Wind Turbines stated, ‘further scientific research is needed to discover why some people complain about being badly affected by wind turbine noise’. (Davy, Burgemeister, Hillman and Carlile 2020).