Surveys commissioned after complaints from residents

In its explanation of the reasons why the wind farm surveys were carried out, Wexford County Council said on its website that on foot of a number of complaints from the public of noise nuisance from wind farms in North Wexford, it commissioned RPS Engineering in early 2016 to carry out an in-depth, extensive noise survey of the sound emitting from adjacent wind farms and their wind turbines.

The note accompanying the publication of the reports said that the scope of the noise survey carried out exceeded the requirements of the Department of the Environment noise guidance for wind farms and the requirements of most countries with well developed wind legislation.

‘It involved inter-alia the con- tinuous simultaneous acoustic monitoring at four wind farm sites, and eventually involved 13 noise meters being simultaneously deployed,’ the statement continued. ‘In addition to noise meters, a number of rain gauges and 10 metre high wind speed masts were also utilised to gather weather data. ‘

The statement goes on to say that ‘the extended duration of this noise survey, eight weeks at eight sites and over six months at three sites, and the wide extent of noise parameter measurements and meteorological parameters carried out, ensured that account was made of practically all environmental and meteorological conditions experienced at the sites during the noise survey, such as differing wind speeds, directions, air temperature and particular meteorological conditions as experienced at the sites.’

This included the measurement of noise during periods of winter time cold temperatures with little or no wind (temperature inversions) so as to measure the noise impact during possible worst case scenarios.

The reports are available in the news section of www.wexford.ie . They are extensive and very technical, but conclude that in the main, the wind farms are compliant with noise level requirements. Copies of the reports have been sent to the complainants and the wind farm operators.

Wexford County Council said that it is currently assessing the contents of the reports and following evaluation of the results, it will issue further updates in due course.