Noise White Paper Outline - Minuteman Wind, LLC

o Small turbines: national standards for small wind turbine technology ingeneral are needed. For noise in particular, sound levels should bemeasured at lower and higher wind speeds, in addition to those measuredunder the IEC standard. Any operation-mode-dependent, time-dependentand frequency-dependent components also need to be described. Thesestandards need to provide sound measures that provide an accuraterepresentation of issues of interest to potential listeners.• Noise Regulations:o Community noise standards are important to ensure livable communities.Wind turbines must be held to comply with these regulations. Windturbines need not be held to additional levels of regulations.o For small wind turbines: Because of the wide variety of sound levels fromsmall wind turbines, blanket setback limits should not be set a priori.However, they should be examined carefully based on the technologyproposed.• Wind turbine siting practice:o In order to comply with state noise regulations and to fit withincommunity land use, the siting of wind turbines must take sound levelsinto consideration.o If a wind turbine is proposed within a distance equivalent to three timesthe blade-tip height of residences or other noise-sensitive receptors, anoise study should be performed and publicized.Wind Turbine Noise Issues Renewable Energy Research Laboratory Page 24