Wind turbines are growing to enormous proportions. Some of the new giants are so tall that they can rival the Eiffel Tower. But amid the hysteria of the green transition, the turbines are being built at record speed, while knowledge remains limited about how the infrasound from these gigantic structures may affect people over time.
Infrasound is sound waves with such low frequencies that they normally fall below the threshold of human hearing. However, the sound can still be present in our environment, originating from natural phenomena and various types of technical installations.
Wind power plants are one of the activities that produce infrasound, mainly through the movement of the rotor blades. Because the sound is outside the audible range, it can be difficult for people to perceive or assess its level themselves.
Ken Mattsson is a professor of computational science at Uppsala University and has worked for three decades with noise and sound measurements. According to him, there are still important questions regarding infrasound that research has not yet answered.
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He points out that there are studies suggesting that infrasound at relatively low levels can affect people. However, no research has so far shown that infrasound from wind turbines can cause harm to humans.
At the same time, Mattsson says he has been contacted by people from various parts of the world who feel that their health is affected by the infrasound from wind power.
– That’s why we should apply some kind of precautionary principle and examine this further, he tells SVT.
According to Mattsson, one of the major shortcomings in today’s knowledge base is the lack of long-term studies where noise measurements are linked to people’s experiences and possible health reactions.
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He therefore calls for research where both the infrasound and the residents’ responses are recorded over a longer period.
– You have to measure the infrasound at the same time as the response from those living there, and do it for several months. People live there for several years. As far as I know, no such study has been done, he tells SVT.
Moreover, the measurements are complicated. The levels of infrasound do not always decrease the further away from a wind turbine you are. Under certain conditions, the levels can actually be higher at greater distances.